CLEVELAND — The veteran non-roster arm that had the Yankees buzzing this spring has finally arrived.
The Yankees on Tuesday selected the contract of lefty reliever Tyler Matzek, whose strong camp was sidetracked by an oblique strain that he has since recovered from and thrown in five minor league games.
Yoendrys Gómez, who threw three innings Monday night and is out of minor league options, was designated for assignment to make room on the roster.
The 25-year-old righty had a 2.70 ERA through six games but had walked nine and struck out only five across 10 innings.
The 34-year-old Matzek, who won a World Series with the Braves in 2021, looked sharp early in camp to get the attention of the Yankees.
He is now more than two years removed from Tommy John surgery, and while he got back to the big leagues last season, he did not pitch like himself and also dealt with elbow inflammation.
But Matzek’s fastball ticked up this spring, more in line with the velocity he had pre-elbow surgery, and now he will be another lefty weapon for manager Aaron Boone to use out of the bullpen.
The Yankees now have three lefty relievers in Matzek, Tim Hill and Ryan Yarbrough.
The veteran Yarbrough offers length and has looked solid since the Yankees signed him to a major league deal a few days before Opening Day. He was also fresher than Gómez, which may have factored into the decision as the Yankees near the end of a 13-day, 13-game stretch in which their bullpen has been asked to shoulder a heavy load.
Credit: Source link
