The Scranton shuttle has begun in earnest, as the Yankees demoted left handed reliever Tyler Olson to Triple-A and replaced him with right-hander Branden Pinder. Olson kept his 25 man spot for all of one evening, allowing two walks, three hits, and three earned runs in two innings against the Mariners Friday night. Olson was called up before Friday’s game to replace Luis Cessa, who had surprised many when he won a roster spot out of spring training.
The 27-year-old Pinder was one of the more successful shuttle relievers in 2015, working to a 2.93 ERA in 27 ⅔ innings of work at the big league level. However, his peripherals in limited time were on the ugly side. He allowed 4.6 BB/9 and 1.3 HR/9 in his 25 games, leading to a DRA of 5.15. His overall performance in Triple-A was much more encouraging, with a 2.80 ERA and 3.07 FIP in 35 ⅓ innings for Scranton Wilkes-Barre. Pinder largely relies on his mid-90s heater and slider, but will occasionally mix in a curve.
Pinder seems like an odd choice to bring up to face the lefty-heavy Mariners lineup, but James Pazos reportedly wasn’t available because of his recent workload.
Lead photo: Adam Hunger / USA Today Sports