Carlos Lagrange isn’t just another player on the injury list. He was supposed to be the solution for the New York Yankees amid the recent turmoil. The hard-throwing prospect could have offered a much-needed boost to the bullpen. Instead, he ended up joining Aaron Judge on the injured list on Thursday. 

“The exciting thing for me was really being around him for the first time day by day [in spring training],” Yankees’ manager Aaron Boone said last month. “You love to see a young guy go out there and perform and do well and relish the competition. So, there’s a lot of positives there.”

But now those positives have hit a wall. Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre placed Lagrange on the 7-day IL on July 2. The team confirmed a shoulder injury for the 23-year-old, as he is awaiting the MRI reports. Even if it turns out to be a simple inflammation or a mild strain, he might still miss a few weeks. That means his major league debut is getting delayed. 

Lagrange is the No. 4 prospect for the Yankees. He joined them in 2022 and has earned a lot of praise in the minors. The high-strikeout flamethrower was shifted from starter to relieving duties last month. His above-100-mph throws have been impressive, helping him record 83 strikeouts in just 18 games this year. 

Boone had earlier admitted that “he’s definitely got everyone’s attention.” 

“I think we all had the thought of maybe he could impact us in some way, shape or form throughout the year,” the manager added later. 

Unfortunately, that isn’t happening anytime soon, and for the time being, the Yankees’ plans for a call-up during the second half of the season remain halted. New York has 8 players currently on the injured list, including Aaron Judge and No. 1 prospect George Lombard Jr. The captain is suffering from a fractured first rib, and he won’t be back before August. 

And while Lagrange will look for a quick recovery, the Yankees will have to look for answers elsewhere. 

Yankees lose an internal bullpen answer at the worst possible time

The Pinstripes are going through a tough stretch, as they lost 11 of their last 14 games. They suffered back-to-back series sweeps, and the Yankees haven’t found a solution yet. Even the offense hasn’t clicked for some time. They were 27th in the league with a .222 batting average in June, and many point to Judge’s absence as a reason for this slide.

But it’s not just the lineup. The pitching isn’t great either. Particularly, the bullpen is struggling. Although they look solid on paper with a 3.19 ERA, the relievers have blown a save multiple times in the last 14 games.

Camilo Doval allowed 4 runs in the 11th inning against the Detroit Tigers on Wednesday. He now has a 4.96 ERA, while Jake Bird is struggling with a 4.44 ERA. And with Carlos Lagrange landing on the IL, the Yankees have lost their best internal option. 

And the fact that 3 more pitchers from the major league roster are out, it doesn’t make anything easier for Boone and his team. The manager had sent a blunt message to the clubhouse, saying, “We just got to do a better job,” after the Boston Red Sox swept them. But it seems little has improved, as New York had the same fate in their own backyard against the Tigers. 

However, some recent reports suggest that Lagrange’s injury could change the Yankees’ outlook on the trade deadline. Some even suggest that they might target Tarik Skubal and shift one of the starters to the bullpen. The Yankees might chalk up new plans while waiting for Carlos Lagrange’s MRI results.