Yankees Rumors: 3 players who won’t be on the roster by July 1

The New York Yankees roster will look different in the coming weeks due to players returning from injuries. Some players are not performing the way they need to be and some who are performing well will be casualties of roster space.

A month ago, the New York Yankees sat at the bottom of MLB’s American League East, currently the toughest division in baseball. Now, they’re in third place in the division with a 34-24 record. The Yankees are closing the gap between them and the second-place Baltimore Orioles in the AL East. The Orioles and the Yankees are chasing down the Tampa Bay Rays who got off to a hot start this season.

With the Yankees expecting some big players to return from the Injured List, space on the 26-man roster will need to be cleared. They still have quite a few pitchers on the IL, so more moves will come throughout the summer as they return. Injuries inevitably happen, so it’s likely that players who are optioned to Triple-A will be called back up at some point this year. Any trades made between now and the MLB trade deadline of Aug. 1 will also impact the current rosters.

While some players can be optioned to Triple-A, others don’t have options remaining. Some players could be designated for assignment this summer. The Yankees recently showed their willingness to eat a large contract by cutting ties with Aaron Hicks.

Here are three players on the 26-man roster who will not be on the roster by July 1.

Yankees who won’t be on the roster: 3. Albert Abreu

The next time the Yankees need to free up a spot on the 40-man roster, Albert Abreu should be DFA’d. The Yankees have held onto Abreu so far this season, so it’s possible they’ll try to trade him instead of having to take the DFA route. Abreu is out of minor league options, so taking him off the 26-man roster is not as simple as optioning him to Triple-A. The good news for the Yankees is that they wouldn’t need to eat a monster contract. Abreu is signed to a one-year $738,700 deal.

Abreu should survive on the Yankees roster for a bit longer. The bullpen has been overworked because the Yankees starting pitchers aren’t pitching deep into games. Some big pitchers are still on the shelf. The Yankees are missing starters Carlos Rodon and Frankie Montas as well as relievers Tommy Kahnle, Jonathan Loaisiga, Scott Effross, Ian Hamilton, and Lou Trivino. Some of these players are on the 60-day IL. Kahnle is set to join the team this weekend.

Much to the dismay of the fanbase, Abreu has pitched in some high-leverage situations this season. He really hasn’t proven that he’s earned those opportunities, continuing to struggle in big spots. Abreu has a 4.58 ERA in his last 15 games. He’s been much better in his last seven appearances, with just a 0.90 ERA, but his inconsistency, struggle with control, and difficulty with inherited runners are frustrating.

Abreu has a history with the Yankees. He pitched for the Yankees in 2020 and 2021 before being traded to the Texas Rangers in exchange for catcher Jose Trevino. The Rangers DFA’d him and then traded him to the Kansas City Royals. Abreu was claimed off waivers by the Yankees last June after being DFA’d by the Royals.

It could be getting close to the time for the Yankees to part with Abreu again. Abreu is still on the roster because of injuries, but one of these days, the Yankees will need to pull the trigger and clear a roster spot.