Brandon

Laird

Laird was 2-for-17 with five strikeouts this spring in the Grapefruit League. The 24-year-old utilityman should see action in the big leagues at some point this season.

The two-run blast came with two outs in the ninth inning. Laird didn’t start the game but entered after Scott Moore exited with a groin ailment. The longball probably earned him a start or two this weekend in Cincinnati.

Laird, the younger brother of Tigers catcher Gerald Laird, was hitting .254/.307/.414 with 15 homers and 77 RBI though 130 games in his third season for the Yankees’ Triple-A affiliate. It’s a nice gamble for the Astros to take, as the 24-year-old could develop into a solid utility player at the major league level. He’ll report to the Astros on Sunday.

The younger brother of Tigers catcher Gerald Laird was batting just .254 with a .307 on-base percentage in 130 games this season at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes Barre. He could draw some interest on waivers because he’s only 24 years old but Brandon is far from prospect status.

The move is precautionary, but it remains a big concern for the Yankees that A-Rod is limping his way into the playoffs. The veteran third baseman has posted an underwhelming .823 OPS with 16 homers and 62 RBI in 100 games played this season. Brandon Laird will man the hot corner and bat ninth Wednesday against the Rays.

The move clears him from the 40-man roster. The 25-year-old hit .257 (9-for-35) with one home run and four RBI in 17 games with the Astros this past season and figures to serve as organizational depth in 2013.

Laird was bumped from the Astros’ 40-man roster in December, but he went unclaimed on waivers and he’s back in the running for a bench spot now. It still figures to be difficult for the team to find room for him.

Laird was batting .353 with a .932 OPS and two home runs in 12 games at the Triple-A level. He should see semi-regular playing time at the corner infield spots in Houston but probably won’t be fantasy-relevant.

Laird, who failed to make the Astros despite a little homer binge in spring training, now has two more bombs in four starts since being called up. He’s not likely to hit for average, but the Astros will keep him in the lineup while he’s hot and that will give him some value in AL-only leagues.

Laird hit two homers in 11 games with the Astros, but he hit only .200/.243/.429 overall. He should get another shot later this season.