Zych is part of the Yankees' taxi squad for their current road trip, Meredith Marakovits of YES Network reports.
Zych hasn't pitched in the majors since 2017, when he posted a 2.66 ERA and 1.25 WHIP over 40.2 innings for Seattle. The right-hander has been working out at New York's alternate training site but could get a chance to contribute to the big-league squad if the need for a bullpen arm arises.
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Yankees' Tony Zych: Optioned to alternate camp
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Zych was reassigned to the Yankees' alternate training site Tuesday.
The Yankees signed Zych to a minor-league deal in February with the hope that he could contribute to the big-league bullpen at some point during the campaign. That scenario remains a possibility if the right-hander can show that he is finally healthy after two injury-plagued seasons. Zych last pitched in the majors in 2017, when he posted a 2.66 ERA and 1.25 WHIP along with 12 holds in 45 relief appearances with Seattle.
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Yankees' Tony Zych: Joins team's 60-man pool
Rotowire
The Yankees announced Sunday that Zych was included in their 60-man roster pool.
Once a dependable arm out of the Seattle bullpen, Zych hasn't appeared at the MLB level since the 2017 season while tending to a number of arm injuries over the past few years. He was forced to settle for a minor-league deal with the Yankees this winter as a result, but the super-sized roster pool will now give him a chance to resurface in the majors in 2020. Expect Zych to settle for lower-leverage work initially as he slots into a deep Yankees bullpen.
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Yankees' Tony Zych: Inks minors deal with Yankees
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Zych signed a minor league contract with an invitation to major-league spring training Wednesday.
Zych's major-league career has been hampered by elbow and shoulder injuries, but when active, the right-handed reliever has found success. The 29-year-old last pitched with the Mariners during the 2017 season, recording a 2.66 ERA, 1.25 WHIP and 35 strikeouts across 40.2 innings. Zych will have the opportunity to show the Yankees' big-league staff that he has fully recovered from past injuries and is worthy of finding a role in their bullpen at some point this year.
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Mariners' Tony Zych: Placed on waivers
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Zych was placed on waivers by the Mariners on Saturday, Greg Johns of MLB.com reports.
Zych has been battling both elbow and shoulder issues this spring and has yet to make his Cactus League debut. The 27-year-old righty has a 2.72 career ERA over 72.2 innings but has made four trips to the disabled list in the past two seasons. He could be an effective middle reliever for whatever team claims him, but questions about his health are unlikely to go away any time soon.
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Mariners' Tony Zych: Hampered by shoulder injury
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Zych (elbow) is reportedly dealing with a shoulder injury and will undergo further tests for that issue, Shannon Drayer of 710 ESPN Seattle reports.
Zych was already behind the other pitchers in camp due to an offseason procedure on his ailing elbow, but this adds another wrinkle to the equation. It's unclear how severe the issue is, but it seems like he's now even further from making his Cactus League debut and could even start the season on the disabled list if the tests bring back something bad.
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Mariners' Tony Zych: Begins camp in limited fashion
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Zych (elbow) underwent a minor procedure in the offseason and will begin spring training a little behind schedule, Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times reports.
Zych was shut down at the tail end of the 2017 campaign after experiencing elbow soreness and it appears as though he had some sort of surgery to correct the problem in recent months. Prior to going down, the right-hander posted a 2.66 ERA and 1.25 WHIP over 40.2 innings of relief, which was far and away the most time he's spent on a big-league mound in his career. He will likely be back on the mound in a few weeks, but his status should be monitored throughout the spring camp.
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Mariners' Tony Zych: Feeling good in bullpen sessions
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Zych (elbow) is starting spring training off slowly but without pain, Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times reports.
Zych did not undergo a procedure this offseason as was previously reported. He did meet with a doctor about his forearm over the winter and was experiencing lingering inflammation. He seems to be on track to be ready by the start of the season.
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Mariners' Tony Zych: Shut down for season
Rotowire
Manager Scott Servais said Zych (elbow) has been shut down from throwing, effectively ruling him out for the remainder of the regular season, Greg Johns of MLB.com reports.
Zych has been sidelined since Aug. 20 with a right elbow flexor bundle strain. He was pushing to return before the end of the regular season, but after experiencing renewed soreness during recent bullpen sessions, the Mariners decided to play it safe and shut him down for the rest of the season. He compiled a healthy 2.66 ERA in 40.2 innings out of the Mariners' bullpen before injuring himself. With Zych out, look for Nick Vincent, Emilio Pagan and James Pazos to get the ball to Edwin Diaz in the ninth inning down the stretch.
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Mariners' Tony Zych: Experiences soreness during bullpen
Rotowire
Manager Scott Servais said Zych (elbow) didn't feel 100 percent during his bullpen session Wednesday and may not return before the end of the season, Bob Dutton of The Tacoma News Tribune reports.
Zych was pushing to return from an elbow injury before the end of the season, but his chances are looking slim after reporting some soreness during Wednesday's bullpen. He compiled a healthy 2.66 ERA in 40.2 innings out of the Mariners' bullpen this season. Nick Vincent, Emilio Pagan and James Pazos will continue to serve as Seattle's primary setup men in his absence.
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Mariners' Tony Zych: Resumes playing catch
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Mariners manager Scott Servais said Tuesday that Zych (elbow) has resumed playing catch and could return before the end of the regular season, Josh Horton of MLB.com reports.
Zych has been on the disabled list since Aug. 20 with a right elbow flexor bundle strain. While he has yet to resume mound work, Zych isn't throwing the towel in on 2017 just yet, though time is beginning to work against him. He'll likely need to complete a bullpen session and face hitters within the next week to have a realistic chance of being activated from the DL and making an appearance prior to the Oct. 1 season finale.
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Mariners' Tony Zych: Still striving for '17 return
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Zych (elbow) didn't make the current road trip with the Mariners but is still working to return at some point before season's end, Greg Johns of MLB.com reports.
The 27-year-old right-hander has been sidelined by a strained flexor bundle in his right elbow since Aug. 19, but the extended absence hasn't dimmed Zych's hope of returning at some point during what's left of 2017. Manager Scott Servais has confirmed that Zych's MRI haven't shown any structural damage, meaning that it will all come down to whether the reliever can throw without discomfort. Zych was an effective member of the bullpen before getting injured, generating a 6-3 record, 2.66 ERA, 12 holds and one save in 45 appearances.
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Mariners' Tony Zych: Set to throw over weekend
Rotowire
Zych (elbow), who felt tightness after a bullpen last weekend, will resume throwing over the weekend, Greg Johns of MLB.com reports.
Zych experienced some issues in his first bullpen session since landing on the disabled list, but he's been cleared to throw again after MRI results came back clean. He still remains without a timetable for his return, though one should start to materialize as he progresses through his pitching program. In the meantime, Nick Vincent, Emilio Pagan and James Pazos will be tasked with getting the ball to Edwin Diaz.
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Mariners' Tony Zych: To DL with flexor strain
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Zych was placed on the 10-day DL on Tuesday with a right elbow flexor bundle strain.
It has been a struggle for Zych to stay healthy over the past couple years, although he was able to log 40.2 innings in the majors this year before breaking down. He had a 2.66 ERA, 1.25 WHIP and 35 strikeouts over that span. It would not be surprising if we don't see Zych pitching again until 2018, although nothing is official on that front. Dan Altavilla was recalled from Triple-A as a corresponding move.
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Mariners' Tony Zych: Comes undone in loss
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Zych (5-3) allowed three earned runs on two hits and two walks over an inning in Saturday's 6-3 loss to the Angels. He also recorded two strikeouts.
Asked to preserve a 3-3 tie entering the eighth, Zych issued a pair of free passes to open the frame before getting touched up for a two-run double by Albert Pujols. He subsequently allowed a third run on a sacrifice fly, leading to his poorest outing in an otherwise impressive season. Saturday's stumble marked the first time this year that the right-handed reliever had given up multiple runs in an appearance, and his solid 2.79 ERA and 11 holds keep him a viable fantasy asset in AL-only and deep formats.
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Mariners' Tony Zych: Grabs 11th hold in win
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Zych notched his 11th hold in Wednesday's 6-3 win over the Athletics, firing a scoreless inning in which he recorded a strikeout.
Zych impressively disposed of Khris Davis, Ryon Healy and Matt Olson on a mere nine pitches, posting his third scoreless outing in four August appearances. The 27-year-old has coaxed his ERA down to 2.17 and has notched four holds in his last five outings.
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Mariners' Tony Zych: Dominant in one-inning appearance
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Zych notched his 10th hold in Game 1 of Sunday's doubleheader against the Royals, firing a scoreless sixth inning and recording two strikeouts.
Zych fired nine of his 13 pitches for strikes while posting his 12th scoreless effort in the last 14 appearances. The 27-year-old right-hander continues to see a brisk workload and has shown no ill effects from making a career-high 40 appearances thus far. Zych's solid 2.23 ERA, 10 holds and 32 strikeouts over 36.1 innings give him value in AL-only and deep formats that count holds.
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Mariners' Tony Zych: Grabs hold despite surrendering run
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Zych notched his ninth hold in Tuesday's 8-7 win over the Rangers, allowing an earned run on one hit and a hit batsman over one-third of an inning.
Zych's outing was anything but smooth, yet he managed to still log his fifth hold over his last 10 appearances. The 26-year-old right-hander has given up an earned run in two of his last three outings, but his ERA remains a solid 2.36.
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Mariners' Tony Zych: Nabs win in extras Tuesday
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Zych (5-2) gave up an earned run on two hits and a walk over two innings in Tuesday's 6-5 extra-inning win over the Red Sox. He struck out three.
Zych had surrendered the go-ahead run on a single by Sandy Leon on the top half of the 13th, but he walked away with his fifth victory of the season thanks to the Mariners' heroics in the home half of the frame. The 26-year-old saw his nine-appearance scoreless streak snapped with that stumble, but he continues to serve as one of the most effective relief options of either handedness on the Mariners.
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Mariners' Tony Zych: Grabs fifth hold Sunday
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Zych was credited with his fifth hold in Sunday's 4-0 win over the Athletics, firing a scoreless seventh inning and issuing a walk.
The 26-year-old right-hander thus closes out the first half of the season with three straight scoreless efforts after giving up an earned run in each of his last two appearances of June. Zych established a slew of career highs in the first half of the season, and given that he's posted a solid 2.33 ERA over his first 29 appearances, he figures to continue receiving a robust workload in the second half.
