New York Yankees field
Members of the ground crew remove a tarp before the start of a game between the New York Yankees and the Oakland Athletics in an MLB American League baseball game in New York July 23, 2009. Reuters

The New York Yankees acquired Chris Martin in a deal with the Colorado Rockies to improve their bullpen. The Yankees, which had to remove a player from their 40-man roster to assignment, sent cash to the Rockies for the 28-year-old pitcher.

Martin had 16 appearances for the Rockies in the 2014-2015 Major League Baseball Season with 6.89 ERA in a total of 15.2 innings. YES Network’s Jack Curry first reported the update on Twitter and the news was reported in the official Yankees account.

To make room for Chris Martin on 40 man roster, Yankees DFA'd Gonzalez Germen.

— Jack Curry (@JackCurryYES) January 13, 2015

#Yankees land hard-throwing RHP Chris Martin. http://t.co/Dm5Y0eeGmD pic.twitter.com/ZVcbQD6mvQ — New York Yankees (@Yankees) January 13, 2015

A late-bloomer, Martin had a 60.8% groundball rate while striking out eight batters per nine over 15 and 2/3 innnings. Gonzalez Germen was the player designated for assignment to make way for Martin.

The Yankees already have the likes Dellin Betances, Andrew Miller, Adam Warren, Bryan Mitchell, Esmil Rogers, Chase Whitley, David Carpenter, and Justin Wilson as relievers already so the Martin acquisition is more for insurance for any sort of injury during the long grind of the regular season. Martin has Minor League options remaining and is expected to contend for a bullpen spot. Martin pitched for the minors and Triple A leagues from 2010 to 2013 before landing with the Rockies in 2014.

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