Justin Topa Chooses Free Agency After Yankees Designation

The New York Yankees announced that right-handed reliever Justin Topa has elected free agency instead of accepting an outright assignment to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. This decision follows his designation for assignment over the weekend and his subsequent clearance on waivers.

Topa, who joined the Yankees on a minor league deal in mid-August, was promoted to the major league roster shortly thereafter. During his brief time with the Yankees, he pitched three scoreless innings, recording three strikeouts and one walk.

Previously, Topa had a challenging start to the season with the Minnesota Twins, where he allowed 17 runs in 19 innings before being released. Despite this, he had a solid performance in the previous seasons, including a 2.61 ERA with the Mariners in 2023. His fastball velocity has fluctuated, but he showed improvement during his time with the Yankees. Topa's career statistics indicate potential, and he may attract interest from other teams as he seeks a new opportunity before the postseason eligibility deadline.