Even with the big free agent addition of starter Max Fried, injuries to the New York Yankees pitching staff have hampered excitement as the team gets set to start the season Thursday afternoon at home against the Milwaukee Brewers.
Thirty-three-year-old left-hander Ryan Yarbrough is now heading to the Bronx, inking a big league deal with the Yankees on Monday, per FanSidedâs Robert Murray. The veteran southpaw recently exercised an opt-out clause in his minor league contract with the division-rival Toronto Blue Jays and was subsequently released.
With Gerrit Cole and Chase Hampton out for the year following Tommy John surgery, Luis Gil expected to miss as much as three months while he recovers from a high-grade right lat strain, and J.T. Brubaker slated to miss time with three fractured ribs; the Yankees’ pitching cupboard is bare.
‘Very Little is Available’
âWeâll just evaluate whatâs available [for pitching,] and this time of year, very little is available,â Yankees GM Brian Cashman told reporters back on March 11th regarding the team’s pitching woes, âWhen weâve had these conversations many a time over, you hope you can withstand injuries and avoid injuries early from spring training up through the draft because going outside the organization is just that much more difficult to do. So weâll rely on what we have, and weâll explore what is limited available in the marketplace.â
Yarbrough logged 31 1/3 innings to round out the 2024 season with the Blue Jays after being traded from the Los Angeles Dodgers in exchange for outfielder Kevin Kiermaier. He had a 2.01 ERA with a 22.2% strikeout rate, surprising given the fact his fastball topped out at just 86.5 MPH.
It’s not yet known whether Yarbrough will slot into the rotation or a relief role, or both. âIâd imagine (being used wherever) they need,â Yarbrough told NorthJersey.com Monday. âIâve done a little bit of everything; Iâve been pretty flexible in my career.
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