Phelps And Jeter Swap Places On The 60-Day DL

Prior to Saturday's game against the Boston Red Sox, the New York Yankees had a couple of roster moves to make. The Bombers announced that they have activated RHP David Phelps from the 60-day DL, while placing injured shortstop Derek Jeter on the 60-day DL to make room for Phelps on the active roster.

"He could be extremely important," manager Joe Girardi said. "He's someone who has experience and is used to coming out of the bullpen because he did it for us in the past. One inning in these type of games could be extremely important, as we saw last night."

Phelps was originally placed on the DL by the Yankees on July 6th with a slightly strained right forearm, but as his forearm began to heal, problems in his elbow put a return to the Yankees this season in doubt, even after the team shut him down for close to a couple weeks in August.

He didn't do too much pitching down in the minors, and it's not clear if he built up enough arm strength to return to his place in the rotation with Phil Hughes and David Huff battling back and forth between a starting job, and for now, Phelps will help the Yanks out of the bullpen, where they need desperate help right now. Girardi said that, for now, he'll be a one or two inning guy out of the bullpen.

"I'm not so sure we have a chance to be patient with him," Girardi said. "He might be thrown right in the fire."

Phelps' last start for the Bomber before hitting the DL in early-July came on July 4th against the Minnesota Twins when he took home the win after giving up four runs on eight hits in 6.1 innings.

He took over in the rotation for Ivan Nova when he got hurt in late-April after pitching well enough to earn a rotation spot during spring training. For the most part, he had been pitching pretty well for the Yankees, and although his 5.01 ERA might say otherwise, he was one of the Yanks better pitchers in the first half.

As for Jeter, if you still thought that there was a small chance he could return to the lineup this season, having him placed on the 60-day DL officially ends his season for good. He'll finally have time to build of the strength in his legs, and hopefully we'll see him fully healthy when the Yanks join together in Tampa, Florida for spring training next February.

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