Yankees Promote Justin Topa to Bullpen, Option Brendan Beck

The New York Yankees are set to promote veteran right-handed pitcher Justin Topa from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, as reported by Joel Sherman. This move comes just ten days after Topa signed a minor-league contract with the RailRiders. In his recent outing against the Charlotte Knights, Topa showcased his skills by allowing only two hits and striking out two batters over two innings, finishing August with an impressive 1.13 ERA.

The Yankees' decision to bring Topa up is partly due to recent injuries affecting their roster. Starting pitcher Weathers has been placed on the injured list, and outfielder Giancarlo Stanton has suffered a left calf injury during a rehab assignment. While pitching has not been the Yankees' primary concern as they approach September, they are taking proactive steps to address potential gaps in their bullpen.

Before joining the RailRiders, Topa had a challenging season with the Minnesota Twins, where he posted an 8.05 ERA across 19 innings. However, his sinker helped him achieve a notable 54.4-percent groundball rate, suggesting that the Yankees see potential for improvement. Topa has bounced around the league, having signed minor-league deals with both the Blue Jays and Royals after being released by the Twins earlier this year.

A native of Binghamton, New York, Topa has seven years of experience in the majors, debuting with the Milwaukee Brewers in 2020. He was later traded to the Seattle Mariners before moving to the Twins. The Yankees appear to have confidence in Topa's abilities, at least for the short term, as they look to solidify their bullpen ahead of the final stretch of the season.