The Yankees already sent down a Rockie they got days ago

As it turns out, playing for one of the worst teams in MLB history may indicate that you, as a player, might not be very good.

At least that’s how folks in the Bronx are probably seeing things after the New York Yankees optioned right-hander Jake Bird to Triple-A after just three games in pinstripes.

The Colorado Rockies shipped out Bird to New York just days after sending Ryan McMahon there. The third baseman has been a solid addition for the AL club fighting for the top spot in the East, but the reliever has been a disaster. Bird has pitched in three losses for the Yankees, allowing six earned runs in just innings.

The 29-year-old was one of three pickups by the Yankees to help their bullpen at last week’s trade deadline. Bird was having a solid year with the Rockies, but had tailed off lately. He had a 4.73 ERA and 26.3% strikeout rate and is under team control for three more years after this summer. It got the Rockies’ second base prospect Roc Riggio and pitching prospect Ben Shields back.

Since the deadline, the Yankees were swept by the Marlins and lost to the Rangers, who they’re now just 1.5 games up on for the final AL Wild Card spot.

This trade isn’t a home run for the Rockies quite yet, but the early returns are good. Riggio has three hits in his first seven at-bats for Double-A Hartford, while Shields had a solid five-inning start for the Yard Goats over the weekend.

Related

Rockies’ freefall threatens to land them among baseball’s all-time worstRockies done in by disastrous inning as they drop seventh straightRockies to call up pitching prospect Mason Adams just weeks after deadline dealRockies lose ninth-straight at home, conclude 0-6 homestandLarry Walker statue unveiled at Coors FieldRockies fall to 0-5 in homestand, drop eighth-straight at Coors Field