Yankees designate Brooks Kriske, sign Sal Romano

Several months after giving him a spot on the 40-man roster in order to protect him in the Rule 5 Draft, the Yankees have finally recognized a sunk cost and designated Brooks Kriske. In his stead, the team brought back right-hander Sal Romano.

Kriske has been the bane of many Yankee fans’ existence throughout 2021. The 27-year-old has made eight appearances in the bigs this year, which somehow feels far too low and far too high at the same time. Kriske managed 7.2 innings across those eight outings, and allowed 14 runs in the process. No player with more than six innings pitched on the season has produced an ERA figure greater than Kriske’s 15.26 mark.

With this, the Yankees admit a small but significant mistake of roster management. They sensed potential in Kriske, who managed a 2.08 ERA as a minor league reliever in 2019, and saw fit to ensure that no other club could poach his services. His inclusion on the 40-man meant he was always one call away whenever an opening popped in the bullpen. He failed to reward the Yankees’ faith with anything but opposing baserunners.

I do want to wish Kriske well; this season certainly did not go the way he’d hoped, and it sucks to lose a job. Hopefully he finds a landing spot with one of the other 29 clubs and manages to bring his ERA down into a more reasonable realm. Until then, we can rest assured that Kriske won’t author anymore bullpen blowups in the Bronx.