With a scoreless ninth inning during Thursday’s loss to the Astros, Ron Marinaccio lowered his ERA to a pristine 1.42. The Yankees demoted the righty to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre shortly thereafter.
The move came as a bit of a surprise, as Marinaccio has had success over 12.2 big league innings this season. The Yankees needed to make space in their bullpen with Nick Burdi returning from a hip injury prior to Friday’s series opener in Tampa, but Michael Tonkin seemed like the most dispensable choice.
A journeyman claimed off waivers a few weeks ago, Tonkin hasn’t allowed a run over 5.2 innings with the Yankees. However, they’ve only been using the right-hander for mop-up work, and Tonkin has already pitched for three teams this season.
Still, the Yankees decided to keep Tonkin. Doing so allowed the club to maintain its current bullpen depth, as Marinaccio has a minor league option and can be demoted without the Yankees running the risk of losing him to another team.
None of the club’s other relievers were a candidate to be optioned or cut.
While safe for now, Tonkin’s days could be numbered with Tommy Kahnle working on a rehab assignment. He’s expected to pitch in five minor league games; his first came on May 8 with Single-A Tampa.
In the meantime, it’s a tough break for Marinaccio, who has allowed just two earned runs over nine games since making his season debut on April 13.
The 28-year-old had cemented a spot in Aaron Boone’s circle of trust in 2022, recording a 2.05 ERA as a rookie. However, Marinaccio dealt with a shin injury toward the end of that season, and a bumpy 2023 saw him record a 3.99 ERA in the majors and an 8.80 ERA in the minors.
Marinaccio appears to be in a better spot now. The Yankees’ decision to demote him was a practical one, not an indication that the young pitcher hasn’t done his job.
The Yankees will surely call on Marinaccio again when they have an opening in their bullpen. For now, however, they prioritized roster flexibility.
PERAZA MOVES UP
Oswald Peraza (shoulder strain) had his rehab assignment moved from Single-A Tampa to Double-A Somerset on Friday. The infielder played in two games for the Tampa Tarpons, hitting a home run in the first.
It remains to be seen how the Yankees will use Peraza once his assignment is over, but the current construction of the roster would likely lead to him being stashed at Triple-A. The Yankees already have two utilitymen in Jon Berti and Oswaldo Cabrera, and both can play shortstop, Peraza’s natural position.
A talented defender, Peraza has yet to show that he can hit in the majors.