The New York Yankees returned right-handed reliever Ian Hamilton from his rehab assignment and activated him from the 15-day IL, the team announced Tuesday. In a corresponding move, they designated right-hander Adam Ottavino for assignment for the second time in less than a week.
Hamilton missed time during spring training to nurse an infection. In a similar situation to right-handed starter Clarke Schmidt, the 29-year-old commenced a rehab assignment to rebuild his stamina before joining the major league club.
The righty appeared in three rehab starts with Triple-A Scranton Wilkes-Barre, where he allowed four earned runs on six hits across 2.1 frames with a strikeout.
Hamilton signed a minor league deal with the Yankees in 2023 before becoming one of the most reliable arms in the team’s bullpen. When he joined the major league roster that season, he boasted a 2.64 ERA across 39 appearances with 69 strikeouts.
In 2024, he had a 3.82 ERA, 41 strikeouts, 11 holds, and a save across 37.2 innings, missing some time due to multiple injuries.
In correspondence with the move, New York DFAd Ottavino for the second time in less than a week. The 39-year-old right-hander – who had played in pinstripes during the 2019 and 2020 seasons – rejoined the club on April 1 and pitched 1.1 scoreless frames across two appearances. He was released just a few days later when All-Star closer Devin Williams returned from the paternity list.
Ottavino then re-signed with New York on Monday, joining the team in Detroit while the Yankees optioned left-hander Brent Headrick to Triple-A. Ottavino pitched one-third of an inning of relief for starter Carlos Rodon during the 6-2 loss to the Tigers, walking a pair with a strikeout on 17 pitches.
Hamilton’s return provides a much-needed boost to a Yankee bullpen that has struggled to find its footing through the first ten games of the season. After winning their first three contests of the year, the Yankees suffered their first loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks on April 1 when the bullpen gave up a two-run lead in the top of the eighth inning. The disastrous frame was punctuated when Eugenio Suarez crushed a go-ahead grand slam off Mark Leiter Jr. that made way for a 7-5 Diamondbacks win.
Just two days later, lefty Ryan Yarborough loaded the bases and surrendered another grand slam to Arizona’s Geraldo Perdomo in the top of the seventh, though the Yanks managed to hold on for a 9-7 victory to avoid the series sweep.
