Yankees reliever Ian Hamilton left Thursday's Game 3 against Cleveland with a concerning left calf tightness, as the team announced. The right-hander confided in Dan Martin and Greg Joyce of the New York Post that he is scheduled for an MRI scan prior to Friday night’s game to gain a clearer understanding of his injury. Hamilton was brought onto the mound in the sixth inning with the Yankees trailing 2-1. He began his appearance with a leadoff walk to Lane Thomas before Daniel Schneemann hit a ground ball towards first base. As Jon Berti fielded the ball and tossed it to Hamilton covering first base, Hamilton strained his calf while sprinting to the bag. After the play was reviewed, Hamilton, attempting a warm-up pitch, lost control, which signaled his need to leave the game, leading to Tim Mayza replacing him.
Ian Hamilton enjoyed a breakout season in 2023 following his signing on a minor league contract. Over the season, he delivered an impressive 58 innings with a 2.64 ERA, boasting a 28.9% strikeout rate and an exceptional 55% groundball percentage. However, his latest performance has not quite reached the previous season's heights. During his 35 regular-season appearances, Hamilton posted a 3.82 ERA, with slight declines in both his strikeouts and groundball rate, now at a less impressive 43.8%. This year, the 29-year-old pitcher also faced a setback, missing a couple of months during the season due to a lat strain. Despite these challenges, New York has consistently included Hamilton on their playoff rosters, though his game presence has been minimal.
He pitched only once in the division series, contributing 1 1/3 scoreless innings with three strikeouts during the Yankees' Game 2 defeat against the Royals. Thursday marked Hamilton's first contribution in the ALCS. If the Yankees opt to replace him on the roster, his season would be prematurely ended, as players removed during a playoff round are ineligible for participation in the subsequent series.
According to the Post, Mark Leiter Jr. or Clayton Beeter are potential candidates to fill the void in the bullpen should Hamilton be unable to continue. Beeter has the least experience, with only three major league games to his credit, while Leiter, with more experience, emerges as the probable selection. Bryan Hoch of MLB.com notes that Yankees manager Aaron Boone mentioned Leiter was the last player excluded from the pitching staff for the series.
The Yankees had acquired Leiter from the Cubs at the trade deadline; at that point, Leiter was striking out nearly 35% of hitters, showing an ongoing ability to generate strikeouts (31.7% in New York). However, Leiter has struggled with allowing hard contact, surrendering six homers in 21 2/3 innings as part of the Yankees’ roster, contributing to his exclusion from previous series rosters. This story first appeared on MLB Trade Rumors and has been shared with permission.
