Aaron Boone reveals frustrating injury

Oh, here we go again, another Brian Cashman trade that seems to backfire on the New York Yankees. Familiar tune, right? Well, this recent injury news just amplifies the significance of the acquisitions of Juan Soto and Alex Verdugo as the 2024 season shapes up to be a make-or-break campaign for championship aspirations.

During Wednesday’s spring training session, manager Aaron Boone followed the annual tradition of delivering a surprise injury update that could disrupt the Yankees’ early-season plans.

Reliever Scott Effross, obtained at the 2022 trade deadline in exchange for top prospect Hayden Wesneski, hasn’t seen action since October of that year due to back surgery he underwent in December. According to Boone, Effross “won’t be available until the summer.”

Ah, so those doubts about Effross’ readiness for the start of the season, despite his Tommy John surgery in mid-October 2022, weren’t unfounded after all. Fans had a sense that something was amiss, yet once again, pertinent information wasn’t shared. Classic Yankees move, right? Better to let everyone get their hopes up for an exciting 2024 season before delivering the disappointing news.

Despite being under contract through 2027, Effross’s absence is sorely felt in 2024, making it feel like a lost season for the right-hander. Recovering from reconstructive elbow surgery is challenging enough, typically requiring months to regain form. Now, with a back surgery added to the mix, it’s likely we won’t see the true Effross until 2025.

Reflecting on Brian Cashman’s frustration expressed at the GM Meetings, where he bemoaned how injuries, like Frankie Montas’s, can tarnish trades, this latest setback only adds fuel to the fire. It’s becoming a troubling pattern, whether within the team’s control or not, with hidden health issues or freak injuries derailing plans year after year.

While Wesneski may not be setting the world alight, his 89.1 innings pitched in 2023 would have been valuable, especially if he were fully healthy for 2024. Now entering his age-26 season, there’s still potential for growth.

As for Effross, aged 30 with only 71.1 MLB innings under his belt, his absence until at least July leaves little to be desired. Who needs more years of control over a pitcher aging out of his prime and constantly sidelined? Despite the trade’s initial intentions, it seems destined for the “useless” pile, stacking up as high as a New York City skyscraper.