21-year old righty reliever Mark Montgomery came into this season as the Yankees’ #23 prospect according to Baseball America. Montgomery has pitched in 44 games (0 starts) in A+AA-ball so far this year and he is 7-2 with 15 saves, a 1.61 ERA and a 0.93 WHIP. He has only given up 35 hits and 22 walked in 61 1/3 innings while whiffing 95 batters so far this year and those are amazingly good numbers. Montgomery has now pitched in 70 games (0 starts) in his first two years in the minors for the Yankees and he is 7-2 with 30 saves, a 1.71 ERA and a 1.00 WHIP. He is looking like a really good prospect for the Yankees.

The Yankees will be without 32-year old switch-hitting 1B Mark Teixeira for the next week or two due to a strained left calf. He has played in 119 games for the Yankees so far this year and he is 111 of 435 (.255 avg, .813 OPS) with 65 runs scored, 23 homers, 81 RBIs and 1 stolen base. Steve Pearce and Casey McGahee should be able to fill in fine until Teixeira is ready to return to action.

The Yankees have designated 24-year old righty swinging 3B Brandon Laird for assignment. Laird played in 130 games in AAA-ball for the Yankees this year and he was 128 of 503 (.254 avg, .721 OPS) with 54 runs scored, 15 homers, 77 RBIs and 1 stolen base. He played in 11 games for the Yankees last year and he was 4 for 21 (.190 avg, .482 OPS) with 3 runs scored, 0 homers and 1 RBI. The Yankees will have to try to trade Laird, because I don’t think he will make it through waivers.

UPDATE: (9/2/2012) - The Yankees have lost Brandon Laird on waivers to the Houston Astros.

The Yankees have acquired 29-year old righty swinging 1B/OF Steven Pearce from the Houston Astros for cash considerations. Pearce started this year playing in AAA-ball for the Yankees before he was traded for the Orioles. Pearce has played in 49 games for the Orioles and Astros this year and he was 34 of 134 (.254 avg, .729 OPS) with 10 runs scored, 3 homers, 22 RBIs and 1 stolen base. He has now played in 234 games in his first six years in the majors and he is 142 of 599 (.237 avg, .681 OPS) with 60 runs scored, 12 homers, 74 RBIs and 6 stolen bases. Pearce will help the Yankees off the bench against lefty pitching.

Due to Ivan Nova’s recent injury, 25-year old righty David Phelps will stay in the Yankees’ starting rotation for a while longer, and that is a good thing. Phelps has pitched in 24 games (5 starts) overall this year for the Yankees and he is 3-4 with a 2.69 ERA and a 1.15 WHIP. In his five starts, Phelps is 1-2 with a 2.92 ERA and a 1.30 WHIP. In his starts, Phelps has given up 24 hits and 8 walks, while whiffing 26 batters in only 24 2/3 innings and that is impressive. The Yankees are in good hands until Ivan Nova is ready to return to action.

The New York Yankees have placed 25-year old righty starting pitcher Ivan Nova on the 15-day disabled list due to right shoulder inflammation. Nova has pitched in 25 games (all starts) for the Yankees so far this year and he is 11-7 with a 4.92 ERA and a 1.46 WHIP. His win/loss record reflects a lot of run support as Nova has not pitched too well so far this year. Nova has given up 179 hits (the most in the majors), 25 homers and he has walked 50 batters while whiffing 139 of them in his first 157 1/3 innings this year. C.C. Sabathia is coming off the D.L. to replace Nova in the starting rotation, so the Yankees will be o.k. until he’s ready to return to action.

It seems like getting traded to a contender has stoked the fire inside of 38-year old lefty swinging outfielder Ichiro Suzuki. He has played in 26 games for the Yankees so far and he is 28 of 87 (.322 avg, .850 OPS) with 8 runs scored, 3 homers, 13 RBIs and 4 stolen bases. Ichiro has now played in 121 games overall this year for the Mariners and Yankees in which he is 133 of 489 (.272 avg, .679 OPS) with 57 runs scored, 7 homers, 41 RBIs and 19 stolen bases. The Yankees are going to need Ichiro to stay hot at the plate to help them hold off the surging Tampa Bay Rays in the A.L. East.

The Yankees have signed 39-year old righty starting pitcher Derek Lowe. Lowe pitched in 21 games (all starts) for the Indians earlier this year and he was 8-10 with a 5.52 ERA and a 1.69 WHIP. He gave up 156 hits and 45 walks in only 119 innings with the Tribe while whiffing only 41 batters. He has now pitched in 655 games (377 starts) in his first 16 years in the majors and he is 174-156 with 85 saves, a 4.01 ERA and a 1.33 WHIP. The Yankees are going to start Lowe out in long relief, but he may be needed to start some games for them at some point this year.

The New York Yankees have placed 32-year old lefty starting pitcher C.C. Sabathia on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to August 8th, due to a sore left elbow. Sabathia has pitched in 20 games (all starts) for the Yankees so far this year and he is 12-3 with a 3.56 ERA and a 1.21 WHIP. He has now pitched in 121 games (all starts) in his first four years with the Yankees and he is 71-26 with a 3.24 ERA and a 1.19 WHIP. The Yankees hope that Sabathia only misses a couple of weeks, because he’s impossible to replace.

34-year old lefty swinging 3B/1B Eric Chavez has really stepped up for the Yankees this year. He has played in 7 games so far in August and he is 11 of 24 (.458 avg, 1.397 OPS) with 7 runs scored, 3 homers and 7 RBIs. Chavez has now played in 77 games overall this year for the Yankees and he is 56 of 194 (.289 avg, .873 OPS) with 27 runs scored, 12 homers and 29 RBIs. The Yankees need Chavez to keep playing well, as they aren’t missing A-Rod too much so far because of his play.