The New York Yankees are set to add a new arm to their bullpen with the anticipated call-up of veteran reliever Justin Topa. The move is intended to strengthen the team's relief corps for their upcoming series against the Houston Astros, which is scheduled to begin Tuesday.
Topa, a native of Binghamton and an alumnus of LIU Brooklyn, brings seven seasons of major league experience to the Yankees. He has appeared in 172 games across his career, pitching for the Milwaukee Brewers, Seattle Mariners, and Minnesota Twins. This will mark his debut with the Yankees.
Earlier this season, Topa struggled with the Twins, allowing 17 earned runs in 19 innings before his release in May. He subsequently signed minor league deals with the Toronto Blue Jays and Kansas City Royals, but both organizations released him before he could reach the majors. The Yankees signed him to a minor league contract on August 14. Since joining the Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre team, he has allowed just one earned run over five innings.
The Yankees will need to adjust their 40-man and 26-man rosters to accommodate Topa's addition. The team has recently seen call-ups including Bradley Hanner and Brendan Beck, with Beck replacing the injured Ryan Weathers.