Yankees Shut Down Manuel Banuelos For Rest of Season

From Andrew Marchand:

The New York Yankees' top pitching prospect, Manny Banuelos, will not pitch again this year after throwing in six games all season, the team's vice president of baseball operations Mark Newman told ESPN New York on Monday.

"He's not going to be back this season," Newman said.

The left-handed Banuelos, rated the Yankees' No. 1 prospect by ESPN's Keith Law prior to the season, has been out of action since the middle of May with what Newman described as a bone bruise in his left elbow.

Yankees general manager Brian Cashman previously had stated that he thought Banuelos, 21, would return this season because of the progress the team's doctors had seen.

But Banuelos is being shut down for the rest of the season with the hope that he can play in Winter Ball and then be ready for spring training next year. Newman said doctors don't think that Banuelos will need surgery. The Yankees are unsure how the original injury occurred.

"That's a good question," Newman said.

...

"He'll recover from this," Newman said. "That's what our doctors say. We have no doubt about it. At this point, there is no reason to push it. We are trying to be as prepared as we can for next season."

And so ends a rocky season for the 21-year-old southpaw. In just six starts earlier this year, Banuelos went 0-2, with a 4.50 ERA. In 24 innings pitched he allowed 12 earned runs on 29 hits, walked 10 and struck out 22.