Despite a strong debut with the New York Yankees, pitcher Jhony Brito has been sent down to the minor league.
The New York Yankees had to summon their lower pitching depth way too early in the season due to incessant injuries to the regular starters. Carlos Rodon and Luis Severino, the next starters in line after Gerrit Cole, picked up injuries just weeks before the opening day. Hence, the Bronx Bombers decided to call up Clarke Schmidt and Jhony Brito to start in the first series of the season.
After Gerrit Cole‘s perfect opening day start, Clarke Schmidt took over in the second game. However, he failed to execute his new cutters and struggled on the mound. The next in line, Jhony Brito, had loads of responsibility to avoid the series loss against the San Francisco Giants, and he did way more than what he was asked to do. Despite this, the pitcher had to face a demotion.
Yankees Assign Jhony Brito To Minors After A Strong MLB Debut
Jhony Brito signed with the New York Yankees in 2015 as an international free agent. After toiling hard in the minor league, he received an opportunity to feature in this year’s spring session. However, his spring outing remained average until the final game, wherein he pitched five shutout inning against a well-built Blue Jays lineup. Hence, he was added to the final roster as a replacement for an injured Luis Severino. In the final and decided game against the Giants, Jhony received a chance to start.
Brito had an impressive start and did not allow any runs in the first innings. The nerves calmed down, and Jhony Brito ended the day with five scoreless innings, six strikeouts, and allowed two hits and a walk. Moreover, out of the total 76 pitches, 51 landed in the strike zone. However, despite a solid start, the New York Yankees assigned Brito to Triple-A earlier today. As per skipper Aaron Boone, they do not need a fifth starter as of now. Hence, Brito will have to serve his time in the minor league until the team feels the need for his services.
Aaron Boone Left Highly Impressed With The Debutant
On the other hand, New York Yankees skipper Aaron Boone has heaped praise on the latest debutant Jhony Brito. The pitcher’s five shutout innings left a profound impact on Boone, who lauded his changeup. The manager said Brito has good action but needs to work on speed. Further, he manager hailed Brito’s seamers and sinkers and termed it as his best pitch. Overall, Boone felt Jhony had a perfect debut and saved the day for the team.
However, his demotion to the minors is just the brutal side of sports. Despite strong numbers, he misses out on the lineup due to regulars coming off the injury list. Nonetheless, Brito’s debut performance has generated excitement among Yankees fans and has put him on the radar as a potential contributor to the team in the future. With his high-90s fastball and effective slider, Brito has the potential to be a dominant reliever for the Yankees in the coming years.
