ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) 鈥� Cade Winquest鈥檚 Yankees career could end without him getting into a regular-season game.
New York designated the 25-year-old right-hander for assignment Friday to open a roster spot for Luis Gil, who was recalled from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and is scheduled to start a series opener at the Tampa Bay Rays.
Winquest was selected from St. Louis during the Rule 5 draft at December鈥檚 winter meetings and became the Yankees鈥� first Rule 5 player to make the opening day roster since infielder Josh Phelps in 2007.
鈥淚t was hard because obviously we invested that pick in him over the winter, and we still believe that this guy鈥檚 got a chance to be a really good pitcher in this league,鈥� Yankees manager Aaron Boone said.
Because of off days early in the season, Boone had rested higher-leverage relievers available.
鈥淗e鈥檚 really talented. We like the process we went through when we selected him,鈥� general manager Brian Cashman said. 鈥淚t would have been nice to find room to get him in games and develop. It鈥檚 hard when you鈥檙e trying to compete and develop at the same time. It just didn鈥檛 play out the way we wanted it to.鈥�
If Winquest is placed on waivers and not claimed, he must be offered back to St. Louis for $50,000. If the Cardinals don鈥檛 take him back and he clears waivers, the Yankees could assign him outright to the minor leagues.
Injury updates
Anthony Volpe, recovering from left shoulder surgery on Oct. 14, could start a minor league rehabilitation assignment next week.
Cashman said he expects Volpe to return to his starting shortstop role.
鈥淚t鈥檚 always been the plan, but ultimately it鈥檒l be the manager鈥檚 decision,鈥� Cashman said.
Right-hander Clarke Schmidt threw off a mound Friday for the first time since Tommy John surgery last July 11. He threw 10 fastballs and said the next big step in his rehab will be facing hitters in June.
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