The Yankees have acquired 30-year old righty reliever/starter Sergio Mitre from the Brewers for cash considerations. Mitre pitched in 22 games (0 starts) for the Brewers this year and he was 0-1 with a 3.27 ERA and a 1.21 WHIP. Mitre was just dealt to the Brewers before the season started for outfielder Chris Dickerson. Mitre pitched in 39 games (12 starts) for the Yankees in 2009 and 2010 and he was 3-6 with 1 save, a 5.03 ERA and a 1.35 WHIP. Mitre has now pitched in 139 games (64 starts) in his 8 years in the majors and he is 13-30 with 1 save, a 5.13 ERA and a 1.48 WHIP. This was a good move for the Yankees as Mitre has pitched pretty well the last couple of years and the team really needed bullpen help due to all of the injuries.

The Yankees have designated 33-year old righty reliever Buddy Carlyle for assignment. Carlyle pitched in 8 games (0 starts) for the Yankees this year and he was 0-1 with a 4.70 ERA and a 1.57 WHIP. Carlyle has now pitched in 112 games (27 starts) in his first 7 years in the majors and he is 11-12 with a 5.58 ERA and a 1.45 WHIP. The Yankees would likely want to keep Carlyle in the organization if he clears waivers (which is likely) and will accept an outright assignment to AAA.

The Yankees have signed 28-year old righty reliever Logan Kensing to a minor league deal. He missed all of last season due to two elbow surgeries. He last pitched in the majors in 2009 with the Nationals and Marlins. Kensing has pitched in 134 games (3 starts) in parts of six years in the majors and he is 8-9 with 2 saves, a 5.81 ERA and a 1.63 WHIP. Kensing has always had a good arm so it doesn’t hurt to take a chance with a guy like him.

If the Yankees start to tire of Brian Gordon, they could give 23-year old righty starting pitcher Adam Warren a try as the #5 starter. Warren came into this season as the Yankees’ #12 prospect and he has been showing why this year. Warren has started 15 games in AAA-ball this year for the Yankees and he is 6-2 with a 2.87 ERA and a 1.27 WHIP. Warren has only allowed 83 hits in 94 innings this year as he pitches to contact (he has 63 whiffs). Warren has now pitched in 52 games (all starts) in his first three years in the minors and he is 21-11 with a 2.45 ERA and a 1.16 WHIP. Teams are going to be asking about him at the trade deadline, but the Yankees would be smart to just say no.

30-year old lefty swinging CF Curtis Granderson is having the type of season the Yankees thought he would have in 2010. Granderson has played in 76 games this year for the Yankees and he is 80 for 290 (.276 avg, .933 OPS) with 68 runs scored, 21 homers, 55 RBIs and 12 stolen bases. He’s hasn’t been near as good in June, but the Yankees aren’t worried one bit about him. Granderson has played in 23 games so far in June and he is 22 of 86 (.256 avg, .813 OPS) with 24 runs scored, 4 homers and 14 RBIs. Granderson is also only 4 of 9 stealing bases this month. Granderson is one of the big reasons that the Yankees are in first place, so they need him to keep up the good work.

Lefty swinging Greg Nettles was a power hitting 3B who was known for his mitt more than his bat in N.Y. His best season in the Bronx came back in 1977. Nettles played in 158 games for the Yankees in 1977 and he was 150 for 589 (.255 avg, .829 OPS) with 99 runs scored, 37 homers, 107 RBIs and 2 stolen bases. He was fifth in the voting for the MVP award in 1977 while making the All-Star team and winning a Gold Glove award. Nettles played in 1,535 games in his 11 years with the Yankees and he was 1,396 of 5,519 (.253 avg, .762 OPS) with 750 runs scored, 250 homers, 834 RBIs and 18 stolen bases. Nettles made it to five All-Star teams while playing with the Yankees and he also won 2 Gold Gloves (he should have probably had more). Nettles is still #9 in Yankees’ history in homers with 250 of them. Nettles was one of the best all-around 3B of his generation.

The Yankees have signed 35-year old lefty swinging 1B/3B Mike Lamb and 32-year old switch-hitting 3B Terry Tiffee to minor league deals. They were both playing in an Indepent league and will head to AAA. Lamb played in 39 games last year for the Marlins and he was 7 for 38 (.184 avg, .488 OPS) with 2 runs scored, 0 homers and 4 RBIs. Lamb has played in 975 games in his first 10 years in the majors and he is 746 for 2,706 (.276 avg, .747 OPS) with 382 runs scored, 69 homers, 349 RBIs and 7 stolen bases. Tiffee last played in 2008 with the Dodgers. Tiffee has played in 97 games in his first four years in the majors and he is 55 for 243 (.226 avg, .626 OPS) with 20 runs scored, 5 homers, 29 RBIs and 1 stolen base. It was a smart move to bring a couple of guys like this to stash in AAA.

The Yankees have placed 26-year old righty reliever Jeff Marquez on the 15-day disabled list with right shoulder inflammation. Marquez has pitched in 3 games (0 starts) for the Yankees so far this year and he is 0-0 with a 2.25 ERA and a 1.25 WHIP. The Yankees have called up 33-year old righty reliever Buddy Carlyle to replace Marquez in the bullpen. Carlyle pitched in 7 games (0 starts) earlier this year for the Yankees and he is 0-1 with a 2.70 ERA and a 1.35 WHIP.

33-year old righty reliever Luis Ayala has been sharp so far this year for the Yankees. Ayala has pitched in 19 games for the Yankees so far this year and he is 1-1 with 1 hold, a 1.59 ERA and a 1.24 WHIP. The Yankees don’t quite trust Ayala yet in high pressure situations as evidenced by him having only 1 hold this year, despite pitching well. Ayala used to be one of the better set-up men in baseball before he blew out his elbow in 2008 in the World Baseball Classic. If Ayala keeps pitching well, the Yankees will likely move him back to pitching later in games.

30-year old switch hitting RF Nick Swisher is having a rough time for the Yankees this year. He has played in 63 games for the Yankees this year and he is 49 for 214 (.229 avg, .728 OPS) with 29 runs scored, 6 homers, 28 RBIs and 1 stolen base. Swisher was very productive in his first two years with the Yankees, so his struggles come as a little bit of a surprise. In his first two years with the Yankees, Swisher played in 300 games and he was 287 for 1,064 (.270 avg) with 175 runs scored, 58 homers, 171 RBIs and 1 stolen base. The Yankees don’t have many alternatives to Swisher in RF, so they need him to get his act together soon.