Herrera, now a big leaguer, motivated to get back to Yanks
TRENTON » Ronald Herrera said he doesn’t feel any different even though he’s a big leaguer now.
Herrera returned to Arm & Hammer Park on Friday — he’ll be activated by the Thunder next week and start Wednesday — after appearing out of the bullpen for the Yankees against the Los Angeles Angels on Wednesday night.
“It was unbelievable,” Herrera said prior to Friday night’s series opener against Erie. “I was real excited, a little bit nervous, (but) excited for the opportunity.”
In the midst of a seven-game trip to Los Angeles and Oakland, the Yankees needed an arm for the bullpen, and decided Herrera, who is on the 40-man roster and had been outstanding in Trenton, could fill the spot.
Manager Bobby Mitchell said he got a call from vice president of player development Gary Denbo at 3:10 in the morning (remember the Yankees are on the west coast) and then dialed up Herrera.
“I woke him up,” Mitchell joked. “He was elated.”
But the 22-year-old Venezuelan, who was acquired from San Diego in November of 2015 for Jose Pirela, earned the opportunity with his performance in Trenton. In eight starts, Herrera was 7-0 with a 1.07 ERA and 0.75 WHIP. Herrera flew out to L.A. on Wednesday, arriving at the park at 6:40 — about 20 minutes to first pitch — and then came into that night’s game in the seventh inning.
First up? Albert Pujols. “I wasn’t nervous,” Herrera insisted. “I was feeling pretty good and when I got the out, that was a good feeling.”
Herrera retried Pujols and Yunel Escobar on two pitches, but ran into trouble when he walked Luis Valbuena and Andrelton Simmons hammered a hanging breaking ball over the fence in left from one knee.
“I wasn’t throwing my curveball, so that was my first time throwing the curveball to that team,” Herrera said. “They didn’t know me and I never thought he was going to make a swing. The next inning I felt much better with more confidence. I was able to get the three outs.”
Even though Simmons’ homer proved the difference in a 7-5 Yankees loss and Herrera took the loss, he worked a scoreless eighth, including a strikeout against Pujols.
“I know I can do this,” Herrera said. “Now, I’m going to work even harder to get there again.”
The Yankees made a flurry of roster moves on Friday due to injuries at the big league level to Gary Sanchez and Aaron Hicks.
Catcher Kyle Higashioka and outfielder Mason Williams were called up from Scranton, while Jake Cave and Wilkin Castillo were sent from the Thunder to the RailRiders as replacements.
Domingo Acevedo was also added to the Triple-A roster and started Friday night’s game for Scranton in Buffalo.
Mitchell said he anticipates Acevedo’s trip to be short and for him to return to Trenton.
Acevedo, a 6-foot-7 righthander, is 2-0 with a 1.62 ERA in five starts at Double-A. He also has 31 strikeouts against three walks in 33.1 innings.
The Thunder received Jose Pena and Jose Mesa Jr. from High-A Tampa, while Zack Littell went the other way despite 10 strikeouts over seven innings in his start on Thursday.