HOUSTON — It wasn’t that long ago Eduardo Nunez was viewed by the Yankees as a possible successor to Derek Jeter.
When Brian Cashman needed a 40-man roster spot Tuesday for Yangervis Solarte, the general manager designated Nunez for assignment. What it came down to was the Yankees believed Dean Anna and Solarte, who was in spring training on a minor league deal, could help the team more than the 26-year-old Nunez.
Cashman has 10 days to trade or release Nunez, who has to move through waivers. If Nunez isn’t traded, released or claimed he could be sent to Triple-A Scranton/Wailkes-Barre.
The Phillies and Rangers liked Nunez during spring training.
“I know he wants to play in the big leagues, but it had less to do with Eduardo than what Dean Anna and Solarte showed this spring [training],’’ Cashman said of the two infielders whose ability to play second base better than Nunez was the deciding factor. “These guys provided us with choices and we made those choices.’’
Defensive lapses, often on routine plays, haunted Nunez throughout his stay with the Yankees which consisted of 270 games from 2010-13.
What Nunez provided the Yankees was a live bat (.267 average) and body, but injuries and leaky defense were hard to ignore. And when the Yankees signed backup shortstop Brendan Ryan to a two-year, $5 million deal this past offseason, it was clear Nunez would have to show enough at third or second to stick. Obviously, he didn’t.
“We came to spring training fully expecting Eduardo Nunez to be one of our options at the big league level,’’ Cashman said. “The other guys also revealed that they also were, ‘Hey look at me.’ ”
Saturday, the Yankees optioned Nunez to Triple-A. Monday they essentially told him there is no room for him.
And it wasn’t an April Fools’ joke.
The Astros will honor Derek Jeter in a pregame ceremony Wednesday night. Expected to be on hand are former Yankees teammates Roger Clemens, Andy Pettitte, Chuck Knoblauch, Charlie Hayes and Mike Stanton.
Ryan officially was placed on the disabled list Tuesday with a neck issue that could keep him out for a while. Ryan, who hasn’t played since early March, is in Tampa rehabbing.
“I don’t think he is doing baseball activities yet,’’ manager Joe Girardi said of the backup shortstop.
Jacoby Ellsbury’s right calf problem that hindered him in the second half of March doesn’t appear to be a concern to Girardi.
“I feel good about it, he hasn’t talked about it,’’ Girardi said of his leadoff hitter and center fielder, who went 0-for-4 with a walk and scored a run in his Yankees’ debut — a 6-2 season-opening loss in Houston.
It doesn’t sound like Girardi is ready to relegate 40-year-old Ichiro Suzuki to defensive replacement/pinch-runner status yet.
“With some of the age of our outfielders and wanting to keep them fresh we could have a pretty good rotation here,’’ said Girardi, who used Ichiro in center field late in spring training which many believed the Yankees were showcasing Ichiro for a trade.
Ichiro didn’t play Tuesday night.
It wasn’t exactly crunch time but far from mop-up duty for Dellin Betances and Vidal Nuno on Tuesday night. Each pitched impressive innings in relief of CC Sabathia.
Betances struck out two of the three batters he faced, and Nuno allowed a hit and whiffed three in an inning.
“I was really pleased with what I saw,’’ Girardi said.