Yankees Activate 1B Greg Bird, Send Torreyes To AAA
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) — The New York Yankees have activated first baseman Greg Bird from the disabled list and sent infielder Ronald Torreyes to Triple-A Scranton.
Bird has been sidelined since having right ankle surgery on March 27.
Rather than demote one of its eight relief pitchers or first baseman Tyler Austin, New York opted on Saturday to send down Torreyes, who is hitting .339 and can play several positions.
The 25-year-old Bird made his big league debut in 2015 and had 11 homers and 31 RBIs in 46 games. He missed 2016 after surgery to repair a torn labrum in his right shoulder. Last year, Bird hit .451 with eight homers in spring training, but fouled a ball off his right ankle March 30, started the season 6 for 60 and went on the disabled list May 2. When the foot did not improve, Bird had surgery July 18 to remove a bone in the ankle.
Bird returned Aug. 26 and hit .253 with eight homers and 25 RBIs in 29 games, then batted .241 three homers and six RBIs in 13 playoff games.
He hit just .154 in 52 at-bats during spring training with one homer, one double and four RBIs. Bird went 8 for 39 (.205) with three homers and eight RBIs over 12 games in a minor league injury rehabilitation assignment.
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