Story by
Yankees adding veteran reliever Eli Morgan on minor-league deal
- Story by
- Yankees adding veteran reliever Eli Morgan on minor-league deal
The Yankees are taking a flyer on a battle-tested reliever, agreeing to a minor-league deal with right-hander Eli Morgan , a source confirmed to the Daily News.
Morgan, 30, had elected free agency this week after he was designated for assignment by the Kansas City Royals .
Advertisement
The six-year MLB veteran went 0-1 with a 5.12 ERA and 16 strikeouts over 19.1 innings with the Royals this season. He shuttled between the majors and Triple-A all year, as the Royals optioned and recalled him five times before DFA'ing him this month.
Morgan had a 1.40 ERA and 35 strikeouts over 25.2 innings with Triple-A Omaha.
The Cleveland Guardians selected Morgan in the eighth round of the 2017 draft, when Yankees pitching coach Matt Blake was still part of the Guardians' staff. Morgan made his MLB debut as a starter in 2021 but transitioned to a bullpen role the following year.
From 2022-2024 with Cleveland, Morgan went 13-5 with a 3.27 ERA and 181 strikeouts in 176 innings over 143 appearances (one start). He boasts a 2.45 ERA over nine postseason appearances.
Advertisement
Morgan is only two years removed from a 2024 season in which he pitched to a 1.93 ERA, a 0.98 WHIP and 34 strikeouts in 42 innings.
However, a right elbow impingement limited Morgan to only 7.1 innings with the Chicago Cubs last season, and he struggled to a 12.27 ERA over that stretch.
The Yankees hope Morgan can recapture some of his previous success.
Morgan now functions as organizational depth for a Yankees team that entered Friday's series opener against the Toronto Blue Jays in the Bronx with the second-best bullpen ERA (3.00) in the majors but that did not acquire a reliever before the Aug. 3 trade deadline.
Advertisement
The Yankees have envisioned bolstering their bullpen by moving a starter into a relief role once their rotation reaches full strength.
However, that plan took a hit this week when Max Fried returned to the 15-day injured list for a left elbow bone bruise — an issue manager Aaron Boone said is not as serious as the same injury that sidelined the left-hander for more than two months earlier in the season.
Clarke Schmidt , who is working his way back from last year's Tommy John surgery, could also factor into the Yankees' bullpen down the stretch, potentially in a versatile, multi-inning role. Same goes for Luis Gil , who returned this week from right shoulder inflammation and hurled two scoreless innings in his first relief appearance with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
