DETROIT – One of the two players the Yankees acquired at the trade deadline last month is out of the organization less than a month later.
The Yankees released Spencer Howard on Wednesday, letting go of the right-hander whom they had acquired from the Rangers in exchange for cash considerations.
Howard was about to be designated for assignment by the Rangers before the Yankees traded for him, general manager Brian Cashman later revealed, so the club took a low-risk flier on him.
The 27-year-old Howard, a former Top-100 prospect, was on the injured list at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre after giving up five earned runs across 2 ⅔ innings and three appearances for the RailRiders.
Most significantly, Howard’s release opens up another spot on the 40-man roster, giving the Yankees a second open roster spot to work with ahead of Friday, when active rosters expand to 28 for the final month of the season.
Two of the Yankees prospects who could be in consideration for a September call-up, catcher Austin Wells and outfielder Jasson Dominguez, would need to be added to the 40-man roster before joining the active roster.
It’s possible the Yankees could gain even more roster flexibility in the coming days if Harrison Bader is claimed on waivers.
