Yankees outright righty Rogers to Triple-A

BALTIMORE -- The Yankees outrighted Esmil Rogers to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre following Friday's 11-3 loss to the Orioles, and manager Joe Girardi said that he hopes the right-hander will accept the assignment.

Rogers made his 18th appearance of the season on Friday, permitting four runs (one earned) and five hits in two innings. He is 1-1 with a 6.27 ERA, having permitted 29 runs (23 earned) and 41 hits in 33 innings.

"He has to make a decision what he wants to do," Girardi said. "Our hope is that he decides to come back and he goes down to Triple-A and starts and gets his stuff right."

Girardi said that the Yankees will add a pitcher to the roster on Saturday to replace Rogers, who owns a 5.59 ERA in 210 Major League games (43 starts) with the Rockies, Indians, Blue Jays and Yankees.

A likely candidate is right-hander Sergio Santos, who started this season with the Dodgers and posted a 4.73 ERA over 13 1/3 innings, spanning 12 appearances. Santos, 31, signed a Minor League contract with the Yankees on Tuesday and pitched a scoreless inning for Double-A Trenton on Thursday.

Rogers, 29, joined the Yankees last July 31 after being claimed off waivers from the Blue Jays. He went 2-0 with a 4.68 ERA in 18 second-half appearances as the Yankees battled for a postseason spot.

"It hasn't been consistent work for him, and we want to try to get him going," Girardi said.