BOSTON -- The Yankees promoted right-handers Luis Cessa and Ben Heller to the Majors on Thursday and optioned utilityman Rob Refsnyder and righty Nick Goody to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
Heller was one of four Minor League players the Yankees acquired when they traded closer Andrew Miller to Cleveland at the non-waiver Trade Deadline. In 46 relief appearances between Double-A and Triple-A this season, the 25-year-old Heller has posted a 1.60 ERA with 52 strikeouts and 13 walks.
"He's got a really good arm, he's had a really good season," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said before Thursday's series finale against the Red Sox at Fenway Park. "We've watched his stuff. He's got good movement on his fastball, his breaking stuff is really good."
The Yankees called in reinforcements after using seven relievers in a 9-4 win on Wednesday. Starter Nathan Eovaldi exited after just one inning with right elbow discomfort.
Girardi said the club chose to send down Refsnyder, who was 6-for-16 over his past five games and has a .264/.336/.328 slash line for the year, because there was no risk of losing him to another team.
"We just need pitching," Girardi said. "As I told Ref, this is not something that he earned, the demotion. He's someone that has options, in a sense, and we can be flexible."
Goody has posted a 4.23 ERA in 26 appearances this season.
Cessa, meanwhile, has made six big league appearances with a 3.95 ERA.