The New York Yankees demoted a pitcher to the minor leagues after he was recently acquired at the MLB trade deadline.
Yankees Send Pitcher to Minor Leagues Just Days After Acquiring Him at Trade Deadline originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
The New York Yankees were once again active at the MLB trade deadline. They acquired infielders Ryan McMahon, Jose Caballero and Amed Rosario, relievers David Bednar, Jake Bird and Camilo Doval, and outfielder Austin Slater.
That is a lot of new faces coming to the Bronx, with Bednar as the headliner after his time as the Pittsburgh Pirates' closer. But, so far, the trade deadline haul has not fared too well.
On Friday, one day after the deadline, each of Bird, Caballero, Doval and Bednar played key roles in a shocking 13-12 loss to the Miami Marlins.
All four of the newest #Yankees contributed to that loss.
— Max Goodman (@MaxTGoodman) August 2, 2025
Jake Bird gave up a grand slam and got one out in the seventh.
David Bednar allowed two runs, including a game-tying home run also in the seventh.
Camilo Doval blew a save and he takes the loss on a walk-off in the…
To add on, Slater was removed from Monday's game with a hamstring injury and is now headed for the IL. To make things even worse, the Yankees made a decision on Bird just days after acquiring him.
Yankees Option Recently Acquired Pitcher to Minor Leagues
On Tuesday, the Yankees demoted Bird after just a few days in New York.
"Following last night’s game, the Yankees optioned RHP Jake Bird to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre," the Yankees X account posted.
Yes, that quickly.
Bird was acquired on Thursday from the Colorado Rockies in exchange for minor league infielder Roc Riggio and left-handed pitcher Ben Shields, but now he is being sent down after just three appearances.
Here is how Bird did in those stints:
- Friday vs. Miami: 1/3 inning, three hits (including a grand slam), four runs, one walk
- Saturday vs. Miami: 1 shutout inning
- Monday vs. Texas: 2/3 inning, one hit, three runs (two earned), one walk
So, Bird's totals with the Yankees are two innings pitched and six earned runs, which amount to a whopping 27.00 ERA.
On Monday, Bird took the loss after giving up a three-run, walk-off home run to Josh Juna in the bottom of the 10th inning.
The Yankees intentionally walked Wyatt Langford to get to Josh Jung.
— MLB (@MLB) August 5, 2025
Josh Jung made them pay. #WALKOFFpic.twitter.com/zOx8CmAdvr
Now, he is headed to the minor leagues in a quick change of scenery.
Yankees' Bullpen Struggles are Front and Center
As of late, the Yankees' bullpen has had a difficult time, and it isn't just Bird.
Doval, who was acquired from the San Francisco Giants, gave up three runs (one earned) in his debut against the Marlins on Friday.
Bednar allowed two runs and four hits on Friday against the Marlins, although he pitched a scoreless inning on Monday against the Rangers.
Devin Williams, the prized free agency acquisition and the Yankees' current closer, has a 3-3 record with a 5.10 ERA and three blown saves this year. On Monday, Williams gave up the game-tying home run in the ninth that sent the game into extra innings.
So, while Bird is the scapegoat for now, the bullpen in general has not lived up to expectations, and it will be interesting to see how short manager Aaron Boone's leash is with others after Bird's quick demotion.
Related: Yankees' Max Fried Issues Wake-Up Call After Devin Williams' Blown Save vs. Rangers
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Aug 5, 2025, where it first appeared.
Category: Baseball
