The Yankees have made a bullpen switch after Monday night’s rain-delayed victory over the Red Sox, optioning RHP Ben Heller to the Alternate Site following that game and then recalling RHP Nick Nelson from Scranton on Tuesday morning.
Heller has made three appearances for the Yankees this season, allowing one run in 2 2/3 innings. He last pitched on Friday, tossing a scoreless ninth inning in the Yankees’ 10-3 win over Boston,
Nelson, who is ranked by MLB.com as the Yankees’ No. 17 prospect, was previously with the team from July 26-August 6 and made his MLB debut on August 1, tossing three innings of scoreless ball and recording his first major-league win against the Red Sox.
The righty’s second outing was not as fruitful, though, as he allowed seven runs (six earned) in 1 1/3 innings in the Yankees’ 11-7 loss to the Phillies in Game 1 of an August 5 doubleheader, and he was sent out the next day.
The move is likely one to give the Yankees some protection behind a pitch-limited Masahiro Tanaka in Tuesday’s series opener against the Rays, as nominal long man Mike King tossed three innings in relief of Jordan Montgomery in Monday’s rain-delayed win.
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