Yankees Call Up Winans Amid Bullpen Struggles Before Braves Series

ATLANTA — The New York Yankees continue to shuffle their bullpen, calling up Allan Winans on Saturday and designating Rico Garcia for assignment. This decision follows a rough start to the second half of the season, where the Yankees opted for a bullpen game that did not go as planned.

On Friday, Garcia threw 53 pitches in 2 2/3 innings, surrendering three runs. Just days after his 53-pitch outing, he was designated for assignment, signaling the Yankees’ frustration with his performance. This move comes less than a week after Garcia was acquired from the New York Mets.

The Yankees bypassed the opportunity to start Winans in Friday’s game, despite the availability of Cam Schlittler (upper-arm soreness) and Max Fried (blister), whom they deemed did not require injured list stints. Instead, they chose to use a bullpen game, a gamble that failed to pay off.

As the Yankees prepare to face the Atlanta Braves this weekend, Will Warren and Marcus Stroman are set to start on Saturday and Sunday, respectively. Winans will be available to provide length out of the bullpen, having pitched last Friday for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, where he threw 76 pitches.

This season, Winans has made two appearances for the Yankees, allowing six earned runs in 6 1/3 innings. The team will hope he can find improvement in his performance as they battle for positioning in the league.