Estevan Florial will make his major-league debut on Friday, as he has been called up as the Yankees' 29th man for their doubleheader with the Mets, and will play center field and hit seventh in Game 1.
Adding Florial is one of four roster moves the Yankees made, which included placing Aaron Judge back on the 10-day injured list (retroactive to 8/27) with a right calf strain and signing infielder Jordy Mercer to the major-league roster.
To make room for Mercer on the 40-man roster, the Yankees released LHP Luis Avilan.
Florial, 22, has long been an organizational top prospect, but has been besieged by injuries and entered 2020 as MLB.com's No. 7 prospect. He hit .237 last year at High-A Tampa, but his only experience above that level was two games with Double-A Trenton in the 2017 Eastern League Playoffs – and, per YES Network researcher Seth Rothman, his ascension on Friday means he will be the 19th player in Yankees history to make his MLB debut starting in center field, and the first since Mason Williams in 2015.
Judge was activated off the injured list for Wednesday's doubleheader against the Braves, but did not play in Game 1 and was removed after five innings of Game 2, which manager Aaron Boone revealed came because Judge "felt tightness in his calf" running to second base during the game.
On Thursday, GM Brian Cashman gave the unfortunate news that Judge will be sidelined "likely twice as long" with this calf injury as his last – an injury that, while Judge said "felt better right away" and caused him to lobby to stay active, still gave him 10 days on the IL and ended up re-aggravated within one game.
Mercer had signed with the Yankees earlier this month after being released by Detroit, where he was 2-for-9 in three games played this season. For his career, Mercer is a .257 hitter in nine seasons with the Pirates and Tigers, and he can play all three infield positions.
Avilan posted a 4.32 ERA in 8 1/3 innings for the Yankees this year, but went on the injured list earlier this week with shoulder inflammation. Manager Aaron Boone said Friday that the team is hopeful they can re-sign Avilan when he's ready, but that releasing him was the best move to make amidst their current roster crunch and need to get another infielder on the active roster.
The Yankees also gave further bad news that third baseman Gio Urshela is "day-to-day" with a bone spur in his elbow, but did say that it's possible DJ LeMahieu (thumb sprain) could be ready as soon as Sunday.
