Yankees place Santos on DL, option Martin

NEW YORK -- The Yankees placed right-hander Sergio Santos on the disabled list and optioned fellow right-hander Chris Martin to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on Friday to make room for righties Bryan Mitchell and Branden Pinder before the series opener with Detroit.

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Santos, who made his last appearance Monday in a loss at Miami, went on the 15-day DL, retroactive to June 15, with right elbow inflammation. Martin was in his second stint with the Yankees this season.

Mitchell, the Yanks' No. 14 prospect, has found some success with the Triple-A club, registering 40 strikeouts through 53 1/3 innings in his last 10 starts. In that span, he went 3-4 with a 2.87 ERA. For the season, he is 4-5 with a 2.79 ERA in 13 starts.

Pinder has thrown 19 2/3 innings in Triple-A, with one save, one loss and 20 strikeouts.

Video: NYY@DET: Mitchell gets V. Martinez for sixth K

"We just felt that we needed a fresh pitcher," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. "[Chris Capuano] is still down for me. I'll have to check with him today, but we figured we better get somebody in here."

The lefty Capuano, who made three starts with the Yankees earlier in the season, threw 77 pitches in four innings of relief in Tuesday's 12-2 loss at Miami. Capuano came in for starting pitcher Nathan Eovaldi, who gave up eight runs and nine hits in two-thirds of an inning to open the game.

Martin had been struggling with the Yankees, as he allowed a three-run homer in relief to the first batter he faced in the loss to Miami on Tuesday. Last week in Baltimore, his three wild pitches were the most by a Yankee in relief since Ken Clay tossed three in 1979.

Girardi expected both Mitchell and Pinder to be available Friday night.