Thu May 01 18:40:00 UTC 2025: **Yankees Claim Braves Outfielder Bryan De La Cruz; Stanton Moves to 60-Day IL**
**New York, NY (May 1, 2025) –** The New York Yankees have acquired outfielder Bryan De La Cruz from the Atlanta Braves, the teams announced today. To make room on their 40-man roster, the Yankees placed Giancarlo Stanton on the 60-day injured list.
De La Cruz, who was quietly placed on waivers by Atlanta, will report to the Yankees’ Triple-A affiliate, the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders. The move comes after a disappointing start to De La Cruz’s season with Atlanta, where he hit .191/.240/.213 in 50 plate appearances before being optioned to Triple-A Gwinnett. The Braves’ outfield situation has improved with the return of Ronald Acuña Jr. and the addition of Alex Verdugo, making De La Cruz expendable.
The Braves’ decision to waive De La Cruz was likely driven by the impending return of Acuña and the availability of other outfield prospects. The team’s 40-man roster now sits at 38.
For the Yankees, the acquisition of De La Cruz provides additional outfield depth. While their major league outfield is currently strong, with Aaron Judge, Trent Grisham, Cody Bellinger, and Jasson Domínguez, De La Cruz offers a right-handed bat with a proven track record of success against left-handed pitching. Stanton’s placement on the 60-day IL, retroactive to his initial 10-day IL stint due to elbow problems, opens a roster spot. Stanton is expected to require a lengthy rehabilitation assignment upon his return.
De La Cruz, while struggling recently, boasts a career .269/.318/.430 line and a 103 wRC+ over 2021 and 2022 with the Marlins. He will now aim to regain his form with the RailRiders, potentially earning a call-up to the Yankees later in the season.
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