With injuries piling up and their pitching staff under pressure, the New York Yankees finally got some positive news on Sunday. The team announced that right-hander Clayton Beeter has started a rehab assignment with the Single-A Tampa Tarpons — a major step forward in his recovery from a right shoulder impingement that kept him out since spring training.
Beeter, who came to the Yankees from the Dodgers in the 2022 Joey Gallo trade, was initially seen as a potential starter.
However, the Yankees shifted him into a multi-inning bullpen role for the 2025 season, banking on his high-velocity fastball and sharp slider to thrive in shorter outings. Unfortunately, shoulder problems limited him to just 15 appearances across both the majors and minors last year.
This season, New York’s pitching depth has taken a serious hit. Ace Gerrit Cole is out for the year, Luis Gil has yet to resume throwing due to a strained lat, and Marcus Stroman recently landed on the injured list with a knee issue. On top of that, closer Devin Williams is struggling with a 9.00 ERA, as the bullpen has been overworked due to short starts.
The Yankees are in clear need of a reliable multi-inning reliever, and Beeter could be exactly that. While he posted a 4.91 ERA during his brief time in the majors last season, he impressed with a dominant two-pitch mix, striking out a third of the batters he faced. In the minors, he was even better — throwing seven scoreless innings with 12 strikeouts and no walks across five outings.
There’s no set date for Beeter’s return to the big leagues, but the team will be watching his rehab progress closely. If he keeps performing like he did in the minors, he could soon be called upon to provide much-needed support to the Yankees’ worn-out bullpen.
