The Yankees made a move Friday afternoon to add some depth to their Triple-A starting rotation with the signing ofAlfredo Aceves to a minor league deal. Aceves recently opted out of his contract with the Baltimore Orioles after it was obvious that he was not going to be making their team. With David Phelps, Adam Warren, and Vidal Nuno all making the big league bullpen, starters were needed to be one step away from the majors with the RailRiders. Shane Greene, Chris Leroux, Brian Gordon, and Bruce Billings will fill out Scranton's rotation alongside Aceves.
Aceves is, of course, no stranger to New York. He pitched 84 innings for the 2009 World Series winners before being released after a biking accident and catching on with the Red Sox in 2011. Aceves pitched 37 innings with a 4.86 ERA for Boston last season.
It's difficult to imagine Aceves getting an abundance of time in the big league bullpen this season with eight guys who can start games already on the 25-man roster. Still, as we saw last season, anything can happen. Aceves can opt out of his contract with the Yankees on July 1 if he isn't on the big league club by then. Bringing on Aceves as a bit of a safety net in case the worst happens in the Bronx can't be a bad thing, even if he ultimately leaves for a better chance elsewhere before actually returning to New York.