Yankees send Jake Bird to minors after Mike Trout's three-run homer

Bird struggled after being acquired from Colorado prior to last year's trade deadline

Apr. 14, 2026 at 4:55am

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A fragmented, geometric painting in bold colors depicts the motion and energy of a baseball pitcher delivering a pitch, with the batter and field blurred into abstract shapes.A fractured, cubist-inspired illustration captures the intensity and drama of a key moment in a Yankees-Angels baseball game.NYC Today

The New York Yankees have optioned right-handed pitcher Jake Bird to their Triple-A affiliate Scranton/Wilkes-Barre after he gave up a three-run homer to Mike Trout in Monday's 11-10 win over the Los Angeles Angels. Bird had gotten off to a promising start this season but has struggled in recent outings.

Why it matters

The Yankees are trying to solidify their bullpen as they look to contend in the AL East, and Bird's struggles have been a setback. Trout's home run highlighted Bird's difficulties, leading the team to send him down to the minors in hopes he can regain his early-season form.

The details

Bird, who was acquired from the Colorado Rockies prior to last year's trade deadline, gave up three runs in a loss to the Miami Marlins on April 5 and then allowed Trout's game-tying three-run homer in the sixth inning on Monday. Yankees manager Aaron Boone said the team was 'a little short' in the bullpen and that Bird 'made a lot of really good pitches' but struggled to finish off a couple of at-bats.

  • On April 5, Bird gave up three runs in a loss to the Miami Marlins.
  • On April 14, Bird gave up Trout's three-run homer in the sixth inning of the Yankees' 11-10 win over the Angels.
  • Following the game on April 14, the Yankees optioned Bird to their Triple-A affiliate Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

The players

Jake Bird

A right-handed pitcher for the New York Yankees who was acquired from the Colorado Rockies prior to last year's trade deadline.

Mike Trout

An outfielder for the Los Angeles Angels who hit a game-tying three-run homer off of Bird in the sixth inning on April 14.

Aaron Boone

The manager of the New York Yankees.

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What they’re saying

“'It was a tough night for him, but I thought he made a lot of really good pitches. A couple of mistakes they really put charges into to get back in the game. He had a hard time finishing off a couple of at-bats.'”

— Aaron Boone, Manager, New York Yankees

What’s next

The Yankees will look to build up Anthony Volpe, their top prospect, as he begins a rehab assignment with Double-A Somerset this week.

The takeaway

The Yankees' bullpen remains a work in progress as they try to solidify their relief corps and find consistent setup options for closer David Bednar. Bird's struggles are a setback, but the team is hopeful he can regain his early-season form in the minors.