Yankees Finalize Opening Day Roster

As the countdown to Opening Day continues, the New York Yankees made a crucial decision regarding their bullpen. On Wednesday, the team opted to add left-hander Brent Headrick and rookie right-hander Yoendrys Gomez to their 26-man roster, effectively sidelining veteran righty Yerry De Los Santos.

If the Yankees don’t make any late additions before Thursday’s 3:05 p.m. game against the Milwaukee Brewers at Yankee Stadium, infielder/outfielder Pablo Reyes will be included in the 40-man roster and officially join the squad.

Despite these recent additions, the Yankees are reportedly still in search of an external option to bolster their bench. They may be looking for a right-handed bat to assist with the workload of the injured designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton.

In preparation for the upcoming season, the Yankees trimmed their roster and placed a total of eight players on the injured list. Notably, several right-handed pitchers were added to the 15-day IL, including starters Clarke Schmidt, who is dealing with right rotator cuff tendonitis, and JT Brubaker, suffering from left rib fractures. Other relievers on the injured list include Clayton Beeter (right shoulder impingement syndrome), Scott Effross (left hamstring strain), Ian Hamilton (viral illness), and Jonathan Loaisiga, who is recovering from right elbow surgery.

Additionally, two position players, infielder DJ LeMahieu (left calf strain) and Giancarlo Stanton (epicondylitis in both elbows), were placed on the 10-day IL.

Just last week, the Yankees also made headlines by putting starting pitchers Gerrit Cole and Luis Gil on the 60-day IL, with Cole facing Tommy John surgery and Gil dealing with a right lat strain. All of these IL stints were backdated to March 24, preemptively accounting for injuries before the season opener.

Though De Los Santos had an impressive spring training with a 1.93 ERA and nine strikeouts over 9.1 innings, his spot on the roster slipped away as he walked six batters in contrast to Headrick’s higher strikeout rate of 18 over 11.2 innings. Gomez’s inclusion in the roster comes as no surprise, having excelled with 11.1 scoreless innings, showcasing his capability to contribute right from the start of the season.

With the Opening Day roster set, many fans are eager to see how the Yankees will perform, especially as they navigate the challenges of injuries within their lineup. The question remains whether the team will make a last-minute acquisition to further strengthen their batting order.

Finalized Yankees Opening Day Roster

The finalized Yankees Opening Day roster includes the following:

PITCHERS (13)

- **Right-Handers (8)**: Carlos Carrasco, Fernando Cruz, Yoendrys Gomez, Mark Leiter Jr., Marcus Stroman, Will Warren, Luke Weaver, Devin Williams.

- **Left-Handers (5)**: Max Fried, Brent Headrick, Tim Hill, Carlos Rodon, Ryan Yarbrough.

POSITION PLAYERS (13)