Aaron Boone Confirms Yankees Will Make Roster Move Before Rays Series

The Yankees are set to add another piece back to their roster Tuesday night. On WFAN, manager Aaron Boone confirmed that Amed Rosario will be activated from the injured list before the opener of a two-game series against the Tampa Bay Rays.

Rosario has been out since Aug. 3 with a left hamstring strain. The injury came at a frustrating time for the Yankees, who have dealt with a constant churn of roster moves as they try to stabilize their lineup for the stretch run. Rosario, 29, had been carving out a useful role as a right-handed bat and versatile infielder. In 72 games this season, he is hitting .250 with three homers, 18 RBIs and a .661 OPS.

The Yankees cleared a roster spot on Sunday when they optioned J.C. Escarra back to Triple-A after the series sweep of the Cardinals. Escarra, 28, collected his first big league hit in limited action, going 1-for-7 across four games.

Rosario’s return gives Boone a bit more flexibility. He has started games at second base, third base and shortstop this season and has also been used in the outfield. His speed adds another dimension to a lineup that has been relying heavily on power production from Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton. With Judge locked into the DH spot and Stanton’s outfield workload closely monitored, depth around the diamond has become even more critical.

The Yankees enter play Tuesday with a three-game cushion in the American League wild card standings, but their margin for error remains thin. Getting Rosario back won’t solve everything, but it gives Boone another option to mix and match as the club tries to patch holes and hold its ground in September.