NEW YORK -- The Yankees recalled right-hander Luis Cessa from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre prior to Monday's series opener against the Blue Jays at Yankee Stadium.
In a corresponding move, the team optioned right-hander Bryan Mitchell to Triple-A. Mitchell both pitched and played first base in the Yanks' 7-4, 11-inning loss to the Orioles on Sunday, giving up three runs in the decisive final inning.
"We'd hate to be in a situation if something happens early to one of our pitchers, you don't have enough pitching to cover," manager Joe Girardi said. "We felt with the way our bullpen has been taxed the last few days that we needed someone who could provide some distance if we needed it."
Cessa made 17 appearances, including nine starts, for the Yankees last year. He has yet to pitch for the big league club in 2017. The 25-year-old had a 1.54 ERA in four starts for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre this season, holding Louisville to a run on nine hits over 6 2/3 innings on April 26.

"His last start was a pretty good start," Girardi said. "It seems like he's had some issues when his fastball runs back across the plate. That's the one thing that we're trying to clear up. We'll get a chance to see it probably at some point."
Including Sunday's outing, the 26-year-old Mitchell had a 6.35 ERA in 11 relief appearances for the Yankees this year.
Bombers bits
• Dustin Fowler has been named the International League "Batter of the Week" for April 24-30 after hitting for the cycle on Sunday for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre against Indianapolis, going 5-for-6 with two doubles, a triple and a walk-off home run in the 11th inning of a 7-6 victory.
Fowler, 22, hit .423/.483/.923 (11-for-26) with four runs, three doubles, two triples, two homers, five RBIs and three walks during the week. He is ranked as the Yankees' No. 8 prospect by MLB Pipeline.
• According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Mitchell was the second pitcher in Yankees history to pitch, play another position and then return to pitch in the same game.
It also happened on July 25, 1908, at Detroit, when Hall of Famer Jack Chesbro pitched the first 7 1/3 innings of a 5-3 loss, swapped places with first baseman Hal Chase for one batter (an out), then returned to finish the eighth inning. It was Chase's only career pitching appearance.