After wearing it for a few innings against the Mets on Wednesday night, Yoendrys Gómez learned that he would not be traveling with the Yankees to Toronto.
Instead, Gómez was optioned to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on Thursday. The Yankees recalled fellow right-hander Jake Cousins in his place.
Gómez, considered the Yankees’ 17th-best prospect by MLB.com, earned a few extra days on the big league roster after sparing the team’s bullpen with 4.2 scoreless innings against the Braves on June 21. However, the Mets knocked him around following a long and severe rain delay on Wednesday, charging Gómez with five earned runs over two innings in a 12-2 loss for the Yankees.
Gómez also totaled four hits and three walks. Tyrone Taylor and ex-Yankee Harrison Bader homered off of him.
Wednesday was the first time that Gómez, 24, did not impress at the major league level. He had previously tallied eight strikeouts and 5.2 scoreless innings over two relief appearances this season.
A starter in the minors, Gómez has a 3.13 ERA over 46 innings at Triple-A this year.
With Gómez burned, the Yankees needed a fresh arm. That’s where Cousins comes in.
Acquired from the White Sox earlier this season, Kirk Cousins’ cousin allowed three runs (one earned) over three major league innings with the Yankees. He’s only pitched in seven games at Triple-A after spending time on the minor league injured list earlier this season.
Cousins had a 3.00 ERA over six innings with the RailRiders.
The Yankees also announced that Clayton Andrews elected free agency in lieu of accepting an outright assignment. The team recently designated the lefty for assignment.
