The New York Yankees continued their free fall on Friday night, losing in blowout fashion against the Tampa Bay Rays to reduce their division lead to five games. Unfortunately for the Yankees, they appeared to have suffered another loss in the process.
On Saturday, New York placed veteran outfielder Andrew Benintendi on the injured list with what the team described as right wrist inflammation. The Yankees also designated lefty Anthony Banda for assignment, and in corresponding moves promoted outfielder Estevan Florial and Ryan Weber to the big-league roster.
Benintendi exited Friday's game in the third inning after irritating his wrist on a swing. Take a look:
Benintendi, 28, was one of the Yankees' big trade deadline acquisitions. Since coming over from the Kansas City Royals, he's batted .246/.323/.395 (106 OPS+) with two home runs and four stolen bases over the course of 33 games. It's unclear how long Benintendi will be out (though it'll be at least 10 days, in accordance to Major League Baseball's rules), but he's an impending free agent who no doubt wants to return ahead of his date with the open market this upcoming winter.
Florial, 24, has appeared in 20 big-league games over the last three seasons. He's yet to find much success in The Show, however, as he's posted a 71 OPS+ in 50 plate appearances. He's still considered one of New York's top position prospects thanks to his well-above-average speed and his plus raw power.
Banda, for his part, had a putrid showing in Friday's game. He faced six batters and recorded zero outs. Instead, he allowed three runs on two hits, three walks and a hit batsmen. Weber, a journeyman, appeared in three games for the Yankees earlier this season, amassing a 1.17 ERA (344 ERA+) in seven innings of work.
The Yankees will continue their series against the Rays on Saturday before concluding the three-game set come Sunday.
