Topa Elects Free Agency After Yankees Waive Reliever

Justin Topa will not be heading to Scranton. The Yankees reliever, designated for assignment over the weekend, elected free agency Monday rather than accept an outright assignment to Triple-A, opening the door for him to shop himself to other organizations during the final stretch of the season.

A move that reflects roster decisions. Topa had already cleared waivers unclaimed, meaning no other team deemed him worth the roster spot to claim. By choosing free agency, he preserves his ability to sign with a new club on his own terms—whether that's a contender looking for bullpen depth or a team with less pressure on its roster.

What it means for New York. The move clears a roster spot for the Yankees, who simultaneously confirmed they had claimed right-hander John Schreiber off waivers from the Royals. New York had open 40-man roster spots available, making room for both the subtraction of Topa and the addition of fresh bullpen arms as the season winds down.

The bigger picture. Teams making moves this late in the season typically signal how they view their contention window. The Yankees' decision to jettison Topa while adding Schreiber suggests they're still actively trying to strengthen their pitching depth, even after the major moves of the offseason and trade deadline have passed.

For bettors tracking bullpen changes, reliever swaps like this can subtly shift leverage in close games, particularly if Schreiber brings velocity or strikeout stuff that impacts late-inning scoring patterns.

Source: original report ↗