Yankees trade for Cubs reliever Scott Effross
A day after red flags went up over their bullpen, the Yankees got some help. They acquired right-handed reliever Scott Effross from the Cubs in exchange for highly-thought-of minor leaguer Hayden Wesneski.
“A (high) leverage relief pitcher with three pitches and different arm angles,” one American League scout said of Effross. “He has deception.”
Effross is 1-4 with a 2.66 ERA in 47 appearances, including one start. He is second in the majors in appearances. The right-handed pitcher has held opponents to a .220/.267/.299 slash line this season and been particularly effective against lefties (.132/.220/.245).
He has stranded 24 of his 28 inherited runners this year, the third-best mark in the National League.
Effross has not allowed a run in 20 of his 24 relief appearances since the beginning of June, posting a 2.01 ERA (22.1IP, 5ER) in that span.
The 28-year old features the two pitches the Yankees like in their relievers: a slider, which he throws 40% of the time, and a sinker, 36% of the time.
The move comes less than 24 hours after closer Clay Holmes and Ron Marinaccio stumbled just a little. Holmes blew his third save in his last nine appearances and Marinaccio gave up his first hit since June 7 and first run since April 28.
Wesneski, 24, was one of the young arms the Yankees thought might contribute this season. He went 6-7 with a 3.51 ERA) in 19 starts with Triple-A this season. Wesneski was selected by the Yankees in the sixth round of the 2019 First-Year Player Draft out of Sam Houston State University.
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