Before the start of the season, the New York Yankees traded reliever Albert Abreu in exchange for catcher Jose Trevino.
It was one of the best moves a team made in the offseason: Trevino is now getting All-Star votes and ran away with the Yankees’ starting catcher position, while Abreu couldn’t establish himself on the Texas Rangers and has been bouncing between organizations.
You would never guess the latest squad that claimed him off waivers: yes, the Yankees.
The Yankees claimed the 26-year-old pitcher on Tuesday, to serve as useful depth in the next few days.
Clarke Schmidt pitched an inning in Wednesday’s important victory against the Tampa Bay Rays, and the Yankees decided to send him to Triple-A and give the roster spot to a fresher arm.
Abreu Is Returning To The Yankees Active Roster
That fresh arm belongs to Abreu: he has been called up and is now a part of the Yankees’ active roster.
“RHP Albert Abreu will join the #Yankees bullpen later today,” MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch confirmed on Thursday morning.
RHP Albert Abreu will join the #Yankees bullpen later today. https://t.co/RZVKVuZflL
— Bryan Hoch (@BryanHoch) June 23, 2022
Abreu has a 3.46 ERA in 11 games in 2022, but it has come with an ugly 2.00 WHIP.
He tends to have some issues with command and control, but has a live arm and his slider is particularly impressive.
He needs to dramatically improve his control: in 13 innings, he has given 16 walks this season, and that number won’t cut it at the MLB level.
The Yankees are, however, one of the league’s premier organizations for player development and coaching, particularly on the pitching side of things.
They will work with Abreu to make him a usable reliever for as long as he remains with the MLB team.
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