Prior to tonight’s game against the Angels, the team announced that Greg Bird has been reinstated from the disabled list. In a corresponding, and somewhat surprising move, Ronald Torreyes has been optioned to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
Roster Moves: Earlier today, the Yankees returned from rehab and reinstated 1B Greg Bird (#33) from the 10-day disabled list. Following last night’s game (Friday), the Yankees optioned INF Ronald Torreyes to @swbrailriders.
— Yankees PR Dept. (@YankeesPR) May 26, 2018
This will be the first time Bird suits up this season. He went down at the end of March and had to have surgery to remove a bone spur in his right ankle. In 94 games for the Bombers, the first baseman is hitting .227/.316/.477 with 20 homers.
Torreyes has appeared in 22 games this season, hitting .339 with six doubles and six RBIs. The move is a surprising one, considering he was the main backup for Didi Gregorius and could also man third and second base. Many thought Tyler Austin and/or Neil Walker would be the odd men out, but their play as of late is hard to ignore.
I wouldn’t expect Torreyes to be in Triple-A long, as his versatility in the field, his bat, and the success of his late night talk show make him too valuable to the Big League club.