Yes, yet another transaction involving Brian Cashman that brings the New York Yankees zero benefits. Ever heard that one before? The news of this injury puts even more weight on the additions of Juan Soto and Alex Verdugo, as 2024 seems more and more like a championship-or-bust campaign.
During spring training on Wednesday, manager Aaron Boone carried out the yearly custom of providing an unexpected injury update that could potentially ruin the Yankees season in its early stages.
Having not pitched since October of 2022, reliever Scott Effross—who was acquired for top prospect Hayden Wesneski at the trade deadline—had back surgery in December and “won’t be available until the summer.”
Well, so we weren’t behaving strange when we questioned why it was stated that Effross wasn’t expected to be ready for the season to begin even though he had Tommy John surgery in mid-October 2022.
Fans knew something was wrong once more, but they were kept in the dark. Why would the Yankees take that action, then? It’s always preferable to hold off until everyone is high on the prospect of a thrilling 2024 campaign, that way you can make them regret it when they believe they have it made.
Yankees News: Scott Effross will not return until 2024 after undergoing back surgery.
Effross is under management through 2027, but 2024 felt like a lost season for the right-hander since he needed to be there. Recovering from reconstructive elbow surgery, which often takes months, is already a challenge in and of itself. Including a back surgery, it’s likely that the true Effross won’t be revealed until 2025.
This circumstance does not help Brian Cashman’s case, especially in light of his tirade at the GM Meetings when he chastised reporters and claimed that it “sucked” injuries, especially the one to Frankie Montas, to occur and make his transactions appear worse.
Whether or not the team can control it at this stage, the pattern is concerning. Every year, there are unreported details regarding a player’s health or an odd injury that causes everything to go awry.
Wesneski isn’t exactly causing the Yankees to regret his trade, but both his 2023 89.1 innings and his 2024 full health would have been beneficial. He still has a lot of growth ahead of him as he approaches his 26th season.
Effross? He has pitched in Major League Baseball for 71.1 innings, recently turned 30, and probably won’t return to the mound for the Yankees until July or later. that would want to manage a pitcher that is getting older, past his prime, and never available for more years? Whatever the purpose of the exchange, this ends up in the “useless” pile, which has grown to the size of a building in New York City.
Either New York’s braintrust may not “love” Cody Poteet as much as they’ve indicated before the 2024 season, or Yankees General Manager Brian Cashman may have become rattled by the intense spotlight.
Along with Luke Weaver and Cody Morris, Poteet, an ex-Marlin and a 2023 member of the Royals’ development system, will be among the several names vying for rotation reps in the event of an emergency. He is still recovering from Tommy John surgery. Most Yankee fans are largely in the dark about him, and it’s likely that Cashman is far more knowledgeable about him than the ardent supporters.
Everything, that is, barring his annoying name.
During the Talkin’ Yanks podcast’s 1,000th episode, which included Cashman as a must-listen guest, the head coach of the Yankees mispronounced Poteet’s name, making “Cody Poteet” sound like a combination of “Royals” and “Pete.”
Appealing? Yes. a little annoying? And well, kind of, given how much Michael Kay touted the Yankees’ faith in this young player while attempting to defend their lackluster offseason additions to the rotation. If he could just summon “Pete,” how much could Cashman & Co. love him?
In the end, this is just a lighthearted moment that primarily serves to illustrate that most Yankee fans would be better off taking a step back and enjoying the roller coaster ride than learning every player on the 40-man roster and the budget down to the decimal places.
Cash and his scouts were optimistic about Poteet’s recovery, but despite thousands of Twitter Reply Guys presumably being able to recall the righty’s legal name, he was still unable to do so.
Be truthful. Poteet was originally brought to your attention when he signed with the Yankees. In other words, the team has indeed done more research than the average person like you.
