Yankees lose Ian Hamilton, Cody Poteet to injuries in blow to pitching depth
On a night in which closer Clay Holmes was roughed up for a second straight outing, the Yankees’ pitching depth took a hit Tuesday, as right-handers Ian Hamilton and Cody Poteet went on the IL.
Hamilton won’t throw for three to four weeks after suffering a moderate right lat strain in his previous appearance.
Poteet went down with a right triceps strain and will be shut down for one or two weeks.
To take the spots on the roster, the Yankees recalled lefty Clayton Andrews from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and signed left-hander Anthony Misiewicz to a major league contract and selected him to the active roster.
To clear a spot on the 40-man roster for Misiewicz, Clarke Schmidt (right lat strain) was transferred to the 60-day IL.
Hamilton became one of a long line of relievers who came into their own with the Yankees when he emerged as a key piece to the bullpen last season.
He’d struggled badly in his past four appearances.
Bench coach Brad Ausmus, who filled in for Aaron Boone for part of Tuesday’s game against the Orioles as Boone attended his son’s graduation, said Hamilton felt the injury in his most recent appearance and also dealt with a much more mild version of a similar injury earlier in the season.
Poteet filled in well in the rotation after Schmidt hit the IL, and with Gerrit Cole scheduled to make his season debut Wednesday after missing the first part of the season with elbow inflammation, the Yankees will be covered in the rotation.
Help could be on the way in the bullpen, with Scott Effross, coming back from Tommy John surgery, expected to start a rehab assignment with Low-A Tampa on Wednesday.
He could be an option for the pen in a matter of weeks.
Additionally, JT Brubaker, acquired from the Pirates in March and also recovering from Tommy Johnson surgery, is scheduled to begin a rehab assignment with Low-A Tampa on Wednesday.
