With the season dragging on and the injuries piling up the Yankees recalled two anticipated prospects last week in Brett Gardner and David Robertson.

Their impact should be felt immediately as Gardner will be able to spell the struggling Melky Cabrera in center field and keep the hobbled Johnny Damon fresh in left. Robertson’s impact will be more of keeping the bullpen arms fresh.

Neither player should expect to see regular playing time, but that might not last long. Gardner’s arrival seems to have excited Yankee manager Joe Girardi because it gives him a real speed threat in the lineup. Gardner can also give the Yankees the advantage of the sacrifice hit more often than Cabrera could.

“He’s a guy that can make things happen at the top of the order,” Girardi said. “We’re going to play him,” Girardi said. “Being able to rotate the DH a little bit, we can do a lot of different things. He’s going to get some playing time.”

Even if Gardner doesn’t see a whole lot of time as a starter his presence could still be big. He’s got game changing speed as fans have seen already as he has only been on base four times and already has three stolen bases. While he might not keep that pace up, Girardi’s plan is to keep him aggressive.

“I want him to be aggressive,” Girardi said. “You want guys that are able to change the defense, change the pitcher’s mind-set where they have to worry about him. You don’t want him to be station-to-station. We have catchers to do that.”

As for Robertson, right now he’s going to be a back of the bullpen type of guy. Coming in low pressure situations until he becomes a trusted member of the pen. That might not take long from a guy who put up impressive numbers in the minors this season. In 51.2 innings this season between double-A and triple-A he had a 1.39 ERA and struck out 74 while holding batters to a .146 average. However he is a little wild, walking 22 batters.

Robertson might take a little while longer until he becomes a reliable setup man in the pen. There are a few reasons for this one, first is the emergence of Jose Veras. Veras has done well for the Yankees in the seventh and eight innings spots this year. Second, is named Kyle Farnsworth. Like him or not, Girardi is the manager and he likes him. He hasn’t been that bad lately either, during the month of June he struck out 12 batters in 10.2 innings with a 3.38 ERA. He’s no Joba Chamberlain, but for now expect Girardi to keep him in the eighth inning role.

Here in early July the Yankees are falling farther and farther behind in both races they need to be in. If they have any chance at all it is important that they have guys like Robertson and Gardner to spell the tired and injured veterans.