The Yankees were planning to call up Justin Topa on August 24, 2026, giving the veteran reliever another chance to stick in a big league bullpen. The move comes after Topa put together a strong run at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, where he posted a 1.75 ERA in 25 2/3 innings.
Topa’s path back to New York has not been a straight one. He opened the season with the Twins and allowed 17 runs in 19 innings, a rough stretch that led Minnesota to cut him loose. After that, he signed minor league deals with the Royals, Blue Jays and Yankees before working his way into the picture with New York’s top affiliate.
What Topa has shown
The Yankees are getting a pitcher with recent success and plenty of big league experience. Topa posted a 2.61 ERA in 69 innings for the Mariners in 2023, then followed that with a 3.90 ERA in 60 innings for the Twins in 2025. His early-season numbers were far less encouraging, but his Triple-A work showed he could still get outs and finish strong enough to earn another look.
Topa’s career has also been shaped by injury issues, which makes every healthy stretch more important. Over more than five years of service time and 168 2/3 big league frames, he has shown enough ability to matter when he is on the mound. In Triple-A, his results were backed by a short but effective run that included one run allowed, five innings and two strikeouts in one stretch of work.
What the roster move means
Because Topa has more than five years of service time, he cannot be optioned. That means the Yankees need a 40-man roster spot before his contract can be selected. In practical terms, the call-up is not just about performance. It also requires the club to make room first, which is the final step before Topa can join the bullpen.
Topa’s pitch mix still gives him a clear reliever profile. He has worked with a fastball that can sit around 95 mph, along with a low-80s slider and a low-90s cutter. If the Yankees believe his Triple-A form is more representative than his early-season Minnesota stint, he becomes a logical depth addition as the season moves forward.
