Ahead of the season finale, the Yankees recalled catcher/first baseman Ben Rice and optioned right-hander Scott Effross to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
Adding Rice gives the Yanks cover with Anthony Rizzo sustaining two broken fingers on his right hand.
Keeping Rizzo on the active roster and not adding him to the injured list, gives New York flexibility for being able to have him on the ALDS roster, but manager Aaron Boone said on Sunday that was a “long shot” that he is available for the series beginning next Saturday.
Since coming back from a broken arm he sustained in mid-June, Rizzo has 18 hits in 73 at-bats (.247) with five doubles for a .660 OPS.
In 49 games this season with the Yanks, Rice has six doubles and seven home runs for 23 RBI with a .174/.269/.356 slash line for a .624 OPS. He has 20 walks to 46 strikeouts in 175 plate appearances.
The 25-year-old slugged 24 home runs and a .967 OPS in 79 games at Triple-A.
With the minor league season over, Effross won’t appear in any games and will now be unable to be on the ALDS or ALCS roster for the Yanks.
In three appearances at the MLB level, Effross allowed two runs on three hits with two walks and two strikeouts in 3.1 innings.
After missing most of the year to injury, the 30-year-old Effross pitched to a 2.55 ERA and 0.991 WHIP in 29 games (35.1 innings) across New York’s minor league system.