Yankees make roster moves after blowout loss to Phillies, McMahon expected to join team

Yankees make roster moves after blowout loss to Phillies, McMahon expected to join team originally appeared on Athlon Sports.

The New York Yankees made quick roster moves following Friday night’s blowout loss to the Phillies. 

After the bullpen gave up 10 earned runs in a 12–5 loss, the team optioned right-hander Scott Effross and infielder Jorbit Vivas to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, opening two roster spots ahead of Saturday’s game at Yankee Stadium.

One spot will go to Ryan McMahon, who was acquired Friday in a trade with the Colorado Rockies. The third baseman is expected to join the Yankees and be active for Saturday’s game.

The other move? Likely bullpen help.

The Yankees’ relief corps has been battered in recent weeks, with Mark Leiter Jr., Fernando Cruz and Ryan Yarbrough all on the injured list. A fresh arm, either from Triple-A or via trade, is the logical next step.

Still, there was buzz among Yankees fans on Friday night about top prospect Spencer Jones, especially after his explosive three-homer performance earlier this week. The 6-foot-6 outfielder now has 13 home runs in just 19 Triple-A games and leads all of minor league baseball with 29 home runs this season.

Fans were clamoring for the Yankees to call up the “left-handed Aaron Judge.”

That’s doubtful. 

Jones was scratched from Scranton’s lineup Friday night with lower back spasms, putting any potential call-up on hold. While fans remain hopeful, the Yankees are unlikely to promote him until his back issue clears.

They are also unlikely to base a decision on 19 games, and Jones still has a lot to prove. 

So now, all eyes are on the bullpen.

With Clarke Schmidt out for the season and Luis Gil still working back from injury, the Yankees could also consider a bigger pitching move before the MLB trade deadline.

But after Friday’s disaster, they simply need an arm that can get outs. 

This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 26, 2025, where it first appeared.

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