David Robertson returns from the disabled list as Slade Heathcott and Greg Bird prepare to return to action
The Yankees are getting their team back from the disabled list (for the most part). Mark Teixeira returned from a pulled hamstring, and though they have now lost Ivan Nova to a partially torn Ulnar Collateral Ligament, they are also getting David Robertson back. The Yankee closer has been out of commission since April 6 after he injured his groin just three innings into his new role.
To clear space on the 25-man roster, Bryan Mitchell was optioned back down to Double-A yesterday. The return of Robertson will strengthen the depth of the bullpen as acting closer Shawn Kelley will now slide back into his 8th inning role and the entire pecking order is pushed down. This comes at the perfect time, since losing Nova likely means that one of Vidal Nuno, David Phelps, and Adam Warren will be moved to the rotation, and the Yankees bullpen depth will be even further diminished.
In other reliever news, the recently designated for assignment Cesar Cabral has cleared waivers and was outrighted back to Triple-A. After a disastrous performance where he gave up three hits, three runs, and hit three batters before being ejected without recording a single out, it seemed that we had seen the last of Cabral. We still might have as he's now off the 40-man roster.
As for Yankees prospects, it seems that at least two are on their way back. Mark Newman has said that Slade Heathcott and Greg Bird are about two weeks away from returning from their respective injuries. Slade missed all of big league camp as he wasn't quite ready for game action after undergoing offseason knee surgery. What would a season be without a Slade Heathcott surgery? He was originally assigned to Triple-A before the season, but it's also possible he could return to Double-A in order to get back into a rhythm.
Bird has sat out the beginning of the season with a back injury, but should be ready to go shortly. Hopefully he can regain some of the moment he had going for him after his spectacular 2013 season, but it is concerning that the injury that originally caused him to move out from behind the plate might be cropping back up again. When he's ready, Greg Bird will report to High-A Tampa.
Newman also let it be known that Danny Burawa and Nik Turley are still farther off. Burawa has been sidelined with an oblique injury, which is normally more nuisance than actual threat. However, in this instance, Burawa missed all of 2012 with a torn oblique muscle, so they're taking it slow with him and he will be examined to determine how serious the injury might be. Turley injured his arm just before the start of spring training and hasn't returned since. That's probably a little concerning.