New York Yankees right-hander Clayton Beeter (shoulder) will not be ready for Opening Day, according to The Athletic's Chris Kirschner. Additionally, left-hander Tyler Matzek (oblique) could also open the 2025 regular season on the injured list due to an oblique injury. Beeter has been throwing off a mound, but the 26-year-old has yet to appear in a Grapefruit League game and needs more time to recover from a right-shoulder injury. The good news is that it won't take him as much time to get ready now that he's been moved to a full-time relief role with the Yankees. A shoulder injury caused him to miss almost four months last year, too, so it's not a great sign that he's still having issues. Beeter has a career 33.2% strikeout rate, so he could become a key multi-inning reliever for the Yankees in 2025 if he can get past his shoulder problems.
According to Joel Sherman of the New York Post, New York Yankees pitching prospect Clayton Beeter is moving to a full-time role out of the bullpen. Beeter, who is considered the No. 19 prospect in the Yankee system on MLB Pipeline and has typically been deployed as a starter in the minor leagues. Yankee pitching coach Matt Blake noted that Beeter's "fastball and slider mix is best suited for relief." Beeter was given a brief look in the major leagues last season and held a 4.91 ERA with a 1.36 WHIP across three 2/3 innings. He struck out five batters. Across 107 career frames at Triple-A, the Texas Tech product holds a 4.04 ERA with a 1.35 WHIP. He has flashed strong strikeout upside as he tallied 140 over this stint. Fantasy managers should expect Beeter to compete for a spot in the Yankee bullpen during spring training. However, he is battling a minor shoulder issue but is not expected to miss time early in the season.
Jake Cousins, Clayton Beeter Dealing With Injuries
New York Yankees right-handers Jake Cousins (forearm) and Clayton Beeter (shoulder) are both dealing with injuries prior to the start of spring training. Cousins is dealing with a forearm strain but could start throwing next week or the week after, according to manager Aaron Boone. The injury has put his status for Opening Day in question. Beeter, meanwhile, had a "shoulder issue" this offseason but is already throwing side sessions. The 30-year-old Cousins had a career-best 2.37 ERA and 1.05 WHIP with his first career save, a career-high 53 strikeouts and 20 walks in 38 relief innings in 2024 in his first year with the Yankees. If healthy, he should see more high-leverage work in New York's 'pen thanks to his 34% strikeout rate last year. Beeter has been mostly a starter in the minors, but he's likely ticketed for a middle-relief bullpen role if he makes the Opening Day roster.
Clayton Beeter Tallies Season-High Nine Punchouts In Wednesday’s Victory
New York Yankees pitching prospect Clayton Beeter tallied a season-high of nine strikeouts to earn his third victory of the season in Triple-A. This was his best start of the season, putting the 25-year-old in a good opportunity to return to the major leagues. Beeter was named to the Yankees Opening Day Roster but only threw one inning while with the major league team this season before returning to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. However, after being sent back down to Triple-A, Beeter has posted a strong 2.74 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, and 35 punchouts across 23 innings. The former Texas Tech Red Raider should be a name to monitor in deeper AL-only formats, as he could see opportunities later in the summer to start games for the Yankees.
New York Yankees rookie right-hander Clayton Beeter said he was informed that he's made the team's Opening Day roster out of camp. But with Luis Gil earning the No. 5 starting rotation spot to open the year, Beeter will open his first MLB campaign pitching out of New York's bullpen as a long reliever, which won't give him any real fantasy appeal. The 25-year-old could fill in for a spot start here or there early on, but there's a good chance he'll eventually head back to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre for more minor-league seasoning. The former second-round pick in 2020 by the Los Angeles Dodgers out of Texas Tech went 9-7 for Double-A Somerset and Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, posting a 3.62 ERA and 1.37 WHIP with 75 walks and 165 strikeouts in 131 2/3 innings pitched.
Clayton Beeter
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Yankees
