MAJOR DECISION
Yanks' Rogers must choose: minors or free agency
BALTIMORE — Outrighted following Friday night’s dismal outing against the Orioles in an ugly 113 loss at Camden Yards, Esmil Rogers had two choices and three days to make it.
The struggling righthanded reliever can accept the assignment to TripleA Scranton/WilkesBarre or decline it. If he accepted it, Rogers would continue to be paid the balance of $1.48 million he was earning in the big leagues. If he chooses free agency, Rogers would forfeit the roughly $932,000 remaining on his contract.
Rogers, at 4.156 years in the majors, misses the benchmark for fiveyear players. A player with more than five years in Rogers’ situation who rejects and becomes a free agent forces the team to pay him termination money, which is the balance of the contract.
The Yankees, who added right handed reliever Sergio Santos to the big league roster Saturday, would prefer the 29yearold Rogers accept the assignment and join SWB’s rotation.
“Our hope is that he decides to come back and goes down to TripleA and starts,’’ manager Joe Girardi said of Rogers, who was 11 with a 6.27 ERA in 18 games. He gave up 41 hits in 33 innings.
Santos, who will be 32 on July 4, was signed June 9 after being released by the Dodgers three days earlier. He pitched one game for DoubleA Trenton, in which he fanned two in a scoreless frame. In six big league seasons, Santos has struck out 224 batters in 180 innings and saved 30 games for the 2011 White Sox, who traded him to the Blue Jays.
“We are going to need him,’’ Girardi said. “He is a guy who has closed. We have to get him on track. He has a swing-and- miss slider.’’
Because Girardi said lefty Justin Wilson will take over the eighthinning job with Dellin Betances moving to the closer’s spot, vacated when Andrew Miller went on the DL on Wednesday, Santos likely will be used in the middle innings.
“I worked [multiple innings] three or four times with the Dodgers,’’ Santos said.
Girardi doesn’t have a date for when Jacoby Ellsbury will play in a minor league rehab game and said the recovery process from a sprained right knee is ongoing, if not at a brisk pace.
“It’s been pretty good but still not where it needs to be,’’ the manager said. “There is a little feeling he needs to get rid of. I wouldn’t call it pain.’’
Ellsbury is with the Yankees and will travel to Miami. If he improves Monday and Tuesday, he will report to the Yankees’ minor league complex Wednes day. If not, he will stay with the Yankees.
The Yankees made a second move in the pen by promoting righthander Jose Ramirez and optioning Jacob Lindgren.
“He did OK,’’ Girardi said of Lindgren, the Yankees’ top pick a year ago out of Mississippi State who appeared in seven games and posted a 5.14 ERA. In seven innings he gave up five hits, three of which were homers. “For a guy who was drafted last year he did OK. Obviously, there were some pitches he would like to have back, but you see the talent is there.’’
This is Ramirez’s second stint this year with the Yankees.
Ivan Nova was slated for a minor league rehab start for SWB on Saturday night. There is a chance that if the righthander, who had Tommy John surgery late last April, impressed, he could join the Yankees’ rotation.
Closer Jeurys Familia’s fiancée, Bianca Rivas, gave birth to their son, Jeurys Jr., Friday night — while he was picking up his 18th save. In fact, Mets spokesperson Jay Horowitz said, the child was born when the bases were loaded and there was one out. Familia worked out of the jam by inducing Nick Markakis into a doubleplay ball and raced to New Jersey to see his new child.
Familia was active for Saturday’s game, but Collins said he wouldn’t use him after Familia pitched the previous two games and threw 25 pitches Friday night. Collins planned to mixandmatch if a save opportunity presented itself.
The offseason addition of John Mayberry Jr. is finally paying off for the Mets. After a dismal start (3for29), the veteran has begun to get comfortable, and has seven hits in his last 11 atbats, including a pair of home runs.
“I feel like my timing has been better as of late, and for me, timing is everything,” Mayberry said. “When I’ve got that rhythm, it allows me to make better decisions, see the ball longer and ultimately have better atbats.”