Major league rosters were able to be expanded beyond 25 players on Saturday, and the Yankees added six for their game against the Detroit Tigers.
NEW YORK — The Yankees‘ lineup for Saturday’s 4:05 p.m. game against the Detroit Tigers included new outfielder Andrew McCutchen in right for his debut game and Gary Sanchez off the disabled list doing the catching.
The bench and bullpen included four reinforcements as well with clubs able to expand 25-man rosters on Sept. 1.
McCutchen shows enthusiasm, discusses trade, role before debut
There was shortstop Adeiny Hechavarria, who was acquired in a late-night trade Friday from the Pittsburgh Pirates, plus the first wave of September call-ups: Infielder Tyler Wade, right-hander Luis Cessa and lefty Stephen Tarpley.
Yankees manager Aaron Boone was fired up about making out this lineup card.
“I actually wrote it down in my office (Friday) night after the game,” Boone said. “Really good to write to obviously write those guys back in there as we work our way to getting a little more healthy.”
This was the first trip to the first big leagues for Tarpley, who was picked for a promotion over Yankees’ No. 1 pitching prospect Justin Sheffield.
Traded by the Pirates to the Yanks in the July 2016 Ivan Nova deal, Tarpley was 7-2 with a 1.94 ERA this season in 36 games for Double-A Trenton and Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
“We’ve been kind of hearing really good stuff all year, especially the second half of the year,” Boone said. “Watching some of the video that I have, he’s just a guy that’s really put himself in the conversation now for the last couple of months with the way he throws the ball.
“His ability to really neutralize left-handed hitters. He’s done a really good job of that. So he’s a guy that’s been in this conversation to get this opportunity and he’s earned his way here and we’re excited to have him and part of the mix.”
The Yankees likely will add more players to their roster within the next week.
Possibilities include Sheffield, a starter who has been pitching in relief for the last two weeks in case he’s needed by the Yankees, plus outfielder Clint Frazier, who started playing rehab games this week after a long layoff due to post-concussion symptoms.
Hechavarria was a surprise addition by the Yankees just before Friday’s midnight trade deadline.
The Miami Marlins starting shortstop from 2013-17, his first four seasons in the majors, Hechavarria will give the Yankees another option at shortstop until they get back starter Didi Gregorius, whose return from a left heel contusion probably won’t be until next weekend at the earliest.
“This is a premium defender at shortstop,” Boone said of Hechavarria. “I see the potential possibly (of starting him Sunday) against a lefty maybe to have him in there. I think there’s some potential games in there for him until we get Didi back where we would play him at shortstop and if that’s the case we move Gleyber (Torres) back to second.
“I just feel that we really add to our strength up the middle So we really like his defensive capabilities, that element that he gives us while Didi’s down but even after that potentially just having some defensive flexibility even late in games sometimes.”
Randy Miller may be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @RandyJMiller. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
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