The Yankees have been stacking bricks back into their bullpen wall—one injured arm at a time.
But not every returning piece is built to last.
On Sunday, the New York Yankees announced they reinstated reliever Scott Effross from his rehab assignment and promptly optioned him to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
While the return of a once-promising arm is typically reason for optimism, Effross’s journey tells a more complicated story.
A promising start clouded by setbacks
Effross was acquired from the Chicago Cubs in 2022 and immediately impressed, tossing 12.2 innings for the Yankees with a 2.13 ERA.
Before that, he had racked up 56.2 innings of stellar relief in Chicago, flashing control and deception from his unique sidearm delivery.
However, the dream was quickly interrupted.
Effross underwent Tommy John surgery following his brief Yankees debut, costing him the entire 2023 season.
His 2024 return was limited to just 3.1 innings, where he struggled to command his pitches and posted a 5.40 ERA.
Latest rehab shows mixed results
Fast forward to this spring, and Effross has finally returned to game action, pitching in the minors.
He posted another 5.40 ERA, this time across his rehab stint with Double-A Somerset, and showed flashes of his signature ground-ball profile.
His 66.7% ground ball rate still looks strong on paper, but it’s the velocity drop that raises eyebrows.
As a sidearm pitcher, Effross relies heavily on movement and deception rather than raw heat.
Losing even a tick or two off his fastball makes a difference—and unfortunately, that difference is showing.
Why the Yankees are playing it safe
Instead of throwing him right into the fire, the Yankees are letting Effross continue working in Triple-A.
It’s a smart move.
The bullpen has been a strength this year, especially with Jonathan Loaisiga returning and Devin Williams trending up.
There’s no urgent need to rush Effross back unless an injury demands it.
He’s more of a break-glass-in-case-of-emergency arm at this stage—far removed from being a trusted high-leverage option.
A hopeful but uncertain future
Effross’s journey back to the mound has been anything but linear.
Yankees fans know what he can be when healthy: a dependable middle-inning weapon with unique mechanics.
But until he regains velocity, command, and consistency, his ceiling remains capped.
The good news?
He’s still in the system. He’s still pitching. And he’s still chasing the form that once made him a deadline steal.
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