The Yankees opted to keep Bradley Hanner, a Triple-A reliever who has moved a step closer to a call-up.
The 27-year-old Hanner used an opt-out clause in his contract that the Yankees nullified Saturday by adding him to the 40-man roster and immediately optioning him. Thus, the righty remains in the organization and, at the moment, with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, for whom he has logged a 1.99 ERA with 50 strikeouts in 40 ²/₃ innings this season.
A career minor leaguer in his seventh season, Hanner signed with the Yankees as a minor league free agent in December after stalling at Triple-A in Cleveland’s system. He has been excellent with SWB, frequently used in multi-inning bursts (while maxing out at 37 pitches in an outing) and allowing little (1.156 WHIP). Hanner is a four-pitch reliever who does not throw particularly hard but induces many whiffs with his sweeper.
The Yankees are expected to use the trade deadline to upgrade their bullpen, but Hanner has become a clearer option.
Also on the 40-man roster and pitching with SWB are Yovanny Cruz, Kervin Castro and Yerry De los Santos.
Saturday’s game in The Bronx against the Dodgers was postponed, creating a split-admission doubleheader Sunday. The first game begins at 12:35 p.m.
Fans with paid tickets for Saturday’s game can use them for the rescheduled afternoon game or exchange them for tickets to a similar regular-season game. Those tickets will not be valid for the second game, which is scheduled for 7:20 p.m.
Max Fried (elbow bone bruise) “looked really good,” manager Aaron Boone said, in his first rehab outing with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on Friday and came out of it feeling well.
Fried, who threw 52 pitches in three innings while allowing two runs on five hits, will pitch again in five days as he reassumes a starter’s schedule.
Giancarlo Stanton (calf strain) is doing “some running,” Boone said, but has not progressed to running the bases.
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“Hopefully, getting close,” Boone said of Stanton, who already has suffered a setback and has not played since April 24.
