The New York Yankees claimed John Schreiber off waivers from the Kansas City Royals on Monday, adding another experienced right-hander to a bullpen that has been patched together through injuries late in the season.
The move came after Fernando Cruz landed on the injured list last week with a partial tear of his right ulnar collateral ligament, another hit to a relief group the Yankees had already been trying to stabilize. New York also did not add a reliever at the Aug. 3 trade deadline, so the claim gives the club a needed arm without waiting for the waiver wire to clear.
What Schreiber brings
Schreiber, 32, is an eight-year major league veteran who debuted with Detroit in 2019 and joined Kansas City in 2024 after pitching for Boston. This season, he worked in 55 games for the Royals and posted a 3.65 ERA across 49 1/3 innings, with 36 strikeouts, a 1-3 record, one save and 14 holds.
The Yankees are not getting a flashy arm, but they are getting a steady one. Schreiber has thrown at least 45 innings in each of the past five seasons, and his ERA has not climbed above 3.86 in that span. For a team trying to navigate the final weeks of the regular season, that kind of reliability matters.
Why the timing matters
The claim was made before Sept. 1, which means Schreiber is eligible for the postseason if the Yankees qualify. That is a meaningful detail for a club that entered the day at 78-59 and in second place in the AL East, still in position to make a run if its bullpen holds up.
The Yankees will owe Schreiber the rest of his $3.715 million salary for the season, according to Brendan Kuty. The move is another sign that Brian Cashman and Aaron Boone are still looking for ways to reinforce a relief corps that has taken on more damage than expected.
For now, the Yankees get a low-cost roster addition with useful experience and immediate relevance. If New York keeps playing into October, Schreiber could end up being more than just a depth claim made in August.
