Yankees spring training is underway and the first wave of injury adversity has already arrived.
Reliever Scott Effross won’t pitch for the Yankees until this summer as he recuperates from offseason back surgery, manager Aaron Boone revealed in his first press conference of the spring on Wednesday in Tampa.
Effross’ back injury popped up last fall, a product of the right-hander’s Tommy John surgery rehab. The 2022 trade deadline acquisition missed the entire 2023 season after elbow surgery. He had his back procedure in December.
Catcher Jose Trevino is also banged up, reporting to camp with a calf strain that he suffered a few weeks ago, Boone said.
Trevino had season-ending wrist surgery last summer, an injury that traced back to spring training.
Boone expects Trevino to be ready for Opening Day. The catcher is already participating in full catching drills and responding well, he just won’t be available for the first few weeks of Grapefruit League games.
Trevino is expected to begin the year on the active roster, sharing playing time behind the plate with rookie Austin Wells.
With Effross out until this summer, a spot in the Yankees’ bullpen is now available. Candidates include arms with big-league experience like Ron Marinaccio, Cody Poteet, Cody Morris and Nick Ramirez as well as prospects like Will Warren, Clayton Beeter and Yoendrys Gómez.
Left-hander Clayton Andrews is also part of that mix. The Yankees acquired Andrews from the Brewers on Wednesday in exchange for 19-year-old righty Joshua Quezada. Andrews, 27, was added to the 40-man roster as a corresponding move to Effross landing on the 60-day injured list.
Reliever Lou Trivino was also spotted at Steinbrenner Field on Wednesday, although the veteran isn’t under contract just yet. Boone said the Yankees are “considering certain things” with Trivino — the right-hander is also working his way back from Tommy John surgery after missing the entirety of the 2023 campaign. He was also acquired by the club at the 2022 trade deadline, part of the ill-fated Frankie Montas trade with Oakland.
“We’ll let it play out,” Boone said. “He’s going through some physical things. We’ll see.”
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