When the Yankees acquired Scott Effross from the Cubs at the trade deadline, they envisioned a back-end reliever who would help this season’s playoff push, and then be a stalwart in the bullpen for another five years.
It’s likely going to be 2024 before he throws another pitch in pinstripes, though, as the world found out Tuesday that Effross has a torn UCL and needs Tommy John surgery – something even he never expected after reporting soreness in his elbow during the Yankees’ weekend workouts.
“Nothing specific triggered it; I thought it was just kind of end-of-the-year, normal soreness. We thought we were staying on top of it, and it felt pretty good to keep throwing and go out there, but it just kind of stayed and lingered,” Effross said Tuesday.
Effross felt something after facing the Orioles during the Yankees’ final home series, but was okay after pitching in Texas. Come Friday, though, after throwing live BP during a Yankees workout, the soreness returned, so the team decided to check it out…and got the bad news.
“It was staying around for a little too long and we decided to get it checked out, not thinking it would be as major as it was. But pictures came back and obviously got the unfortunate news,” Effross said. “I was a little taken aback. Obviously you know when you go in there, there's the possibility of finding something you don't want to see. For me, I think it was kind of shocking. I was really not expecting that.”
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Effross’ surgery date and details are still TBD, but it’s likely to take him out for the entirety of next season, as even an aggressive timeline like the one the Yankees tried with Zack Britton means he wouldn’t be back until October.
What he’s most upset about, though, is missing this October.
“Obviously, very disappointed and frustrated, but it’s baseball, these things happen,” Effross said. “Just kind of disappointed I won't be able to go out there and help the team, but this bullpen specifically has been super resilient all year. I know whoever gets the ball throughout the series will do a great job. Just wish I was out there to kind of be able to help them out.”
Effross says he trusts the Yankees’ medical staff to keep his rehab timeline in his best interest, and he’s already reached out to some current and former teammates who had the same surgery for some help in preparation and recovery mindset.
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“The support I've gotten in the clubhouse so far has been really remarkable. A lot of guys have been through it, and guys I played with in Chicago who have gone through it as well have kind of reached out and talked,” Effross said. “I'll reach out and ask questions if I need to, but like I said, those guys have been great so far.”
For now, though, someone will have to pick up the slack in the bullpen, and the Yankees’ skipper laments not having now three of his team’s five deadline acquisitions healthy for October.
“It's a huge loss. Feel terrible for him. He's kind of heartbroken over it,” manager Aaron Boone said. “I mean, Scotty came over here and pitched really well. You know, I think he was going to have a really big role for us in our bullpen, but now we've just got to kind of support him and get him right. And hopefully everything goes well there.”
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