The New York Yankees have claimed right-handed pitcher John Schreiber off waivers from the Kansas City Royals, according to reports. The move adds another arm to the Yankees' bullpen as the team navigates injuries and seeks to solidify its pitching staff for the remainder of the regular season.
Schreiber, who had approximately $600,000 remaining on his contract, joins the Yankees in what is described as a low-risk addition. He has pitched to a 3.65 earned run average in 55 appearances this season. Notably, he has shown effectiveness against right-handed batters, holding them to a .143 batting average and a .414 on-base-plus-slugging percentage. However, left-handed batters have performed better against him, hitting .326 with a 1.024 OPS.
The Yankees' bullpen has been dealing with several absences, including injuries to Fernando Cruz, Angel Chivilli, and Ryan Weathers, who was anticipated to transition to relief work. The team's top relievers, David Bednar, Brent Headrick, and Paul Blackburn, have seen significant usage, with Headrick ranking second in the majors with 70 appearances as of Monday.
This move follows recent additions to the pitching staff, including the signing of Michael Fulmer, who has already been used in high-leverage situations, and Justin Topa, who was designated for assignment on Saturday. Additionally, starter-turned-reliever Luis Gil was called up on Sunday, and Clarke Schmidt is currently on a rehabilitation assignment with the hope of rejoining the bullpen in September.
Schreiber brings eight years of Major League experience, having previously pitched for the Boston Red Sox and Detroit Tigers.