MAJOR BREAKING: Yankees Celebrate Groundbreaking Return Of Star Pitcher Cody Poteet After Cubs DFA

When the New York Yankees traded from their pitching depth to acquire Cody Bellinger and Devin Williams in December, they couldn’t have predicted how much they’d need pitchers like Nestor Cortes Jr. and Cody Poteet by the time Opening Day arrived.

Cortes will return to the Bronx this weekend, but as a member of the Milwaukee Brewers. As for Poteet, he could be back with the Yankees soon, provided they can strike a small cash deal.

The Yankees and Cubs spent weeks negotiating how much of the salary New York would absorb in the Bellinger trade, while Chicago tried to sneak Kyle Tucker onto their roster, which they ultimately succeeded in doing. After some back and forth, the two teams agreed that the Cubs would cover just $5 million, which lowered the value of the prospect the Yankees received in return.

In the deal, the Yankees sent Poteet, a change-of-pace right-hander, to the Cubs after an injury-riddled season in which he posted a 2.22 ERA over 24 1/3 innings and impressed with a dominant start against the World Champion Dodgers in June.

Now, just three months later, Poteet has been DFA’d by the Cubs during their Opening Day roster adjustments. He may clear waivers, but the Yankees should act quickly to acquire him through a small cash transaction to bypass other teams and add him to their staff.

With the Cubs making the move to DFA Poteet, the Yankees should consider swooping in and securing him before anyone else. While the team has solid options like Ryan Yarbrough and Brent Headrick, the Yankees’ bullpen currently features three left-handed pitchers (two of whom are expected to provide bulk innings). There’s also the uncertainty around Tyler Matzek, who may not be ready after his injury during the spring.

While the Yankees’ immediate focus might be securing a replacement for Oswald Peraza or bolstering their bench, it’s worth keeping an eye on Poteet’s situation. The team has fought hard to build its pitching staff, and with Poteet now available, they could strengthen their depth even further.