Versatile Veteran Takes Big Step Toward Return While Yankees Debate Role

Ryan Yarbrough took a big step toward his return from the injured list Thursday night with a three-inning rehab outing for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. The veteran left-hander allowed three hits and a solo home run, struck out three, and needed just 37 pitches (25 for strikes) to get through the appearance. 

It was his first game action since a right oblique strain landed him on the 15-day injured list in late June.

Before the injury paused his season, Yarbrough had been a quiet stabilizer for the Yankees, working both as a starter and in long relief. He pitched 55.1 innings over 16 games (eight starts), posting a 3–1 record, 3.90 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, and 49 strikeouts. 

That versatility gave manager Aaron Boone the flexibility to plug him where the staff needed innings most.

In his absence, however,  rookie Cam Schlittler has made an encouraging impression. 

The 22-year-old has produced a 4.38 ERA through his first few big league starts, showing a fastball that pushes 98 mph and punching out 24 batters. While he’s still refining his secondary pitches, Schlittler’s emergence has helped steady the rotation during a stretch of injuries.

The bullpen picture has also shifted since Yarbrough last pitched. 

They tried to fortify the late innings at the trade deadline with David Bednar and Camilo Doval joining Mark Leiter Jr., who has been steady in high-leverage spots. Still, the group has been inconsistent overall, and Jake Bird’s demotion shows the volatility of the reliever market.  Yarbrough could give Boone another left-handed option, joining Tim Hill and Brent Headrick, and provide the multi-inning bridge the team has lacked at times.

Whether he returns to the rotation or the bullpen will depend on the Yankees’ needs when he’s ready. 

The rotation remains injury-thinned, but a reliable long man who can also handle spot starts has value in October. Boone has the luxury of keeping both options open while Yarbrough builds up to around 50 pitches in rehab.

For now, Yarbrough’s versatility is his ticket. Wherever he lands, his return gives the Yankees another experienced arm just as the season’s stretch run begins.