One of Aaron Boone’s top options for the ninth inning in the Yankees’ closer-by-committee setup has hit the shelf. 

Side-armer Scott Effross was placed on the 15-day injured list on Monday with what Boone described as a “small strain” in his right shoulder. Effross, a trade deadline addition from the Cubs, was set to meet with a doctor Monday night but the expectation was that he would be shut down from throwing for a week to 10 days before beginning to ramp back up. 

“Hopefully get him back in a few weeks here,” Boone said before the Yankees hosted the Mets. “Hopefully not something too serious.” 

Effross had pitched to a 3.24 ERA across 8 ¹/₃ innings in eight games as a Yankee, including a save in his only opportunity against the Red Sox on Aug. 13. He joined fellow relievers Clay Holmes (back spasms), Miguel Castro (shoulder strain), Zack Britton (UCL surgery) and Albert Abreu (elbow inflammation) on the IL while Chad Green and Michael King have already been lost for the season. 

Clarke Schmidt, who had returned to Triple-A to build back up as a starter (with the Yankees’ starting depth depleted at the trade deadline), was recalled to join the bullpen on Monday. The right-hander on full rest described himself as a “Swiss Army knife” who was ready to help however possible, with Boone saying Schmidt “could be in any role from starting, multiple innings out of the bullpen, wouldn’t shock me if he closed out a game on a given day.” 

That Schmidt could suddenly be in line for a save describes the all-hands-on-deck approach necessary for the Yankees these days. Lou Trivino pitched 2 ¹/₃ innings to close out Sunday’s win over the Blue Jays, with Effross unavailable, but Boone said he would mix and match depending on matchups, as he has done since Holmes lost his grip on the closer role shortly before his back issues. 

The Yankees thought former closer Aroldis Chapman had turned a corner, after a solid nine-game stretch without giving up a run, but his command issues have returned in his last two outings before Monday, further clouding Boone’s options. 

Jonathan Loaisiga has also been up and down since returning from the IL with a shoulder injury, though rookie Ron Marinaccio has been dominant in a mix of roles without a save opportunity yet. 

“However we can get to the finish line, we’ll kind of piece it together the best we can while we get some guys back,” Boone said. “Hopefully it is something that will declare itself over the next several weeks where guys can start to grab onto some roles and we can get a little more defined as we unfold over the next few weeks.”