The New York Yankees continue to add to their roster just days before the start of the 2025 season, as they have signed left-handed veteran pitcher Ryan Yarbrough to an MLB deal on Monday.
The 33-year-old spent last season with the Los Angeles Dodgers and Toronto Blue Jays, posting a 3.19 ERA with 65 strikeouts and 32 walks in 98.2 innings of work.
He has gradually moved away from starting pitching in recent years. He was used primarily as a reliever last year and made just nine starts in 25 appearances in 2023 with the Kansas City Royals and Dodgers.
Yarbrough spent the first five seasons of his career with the Tampa Bay Rays where he was used as a swingman and opener. He went 16-6 with a 3.91 ERA and 128 strikeouts in 147.1 innings in his rookie season back in 2018. The following season, he pitched 141.2 innings and went 11-6 with a 4.14 ERA.
He made a career-high 21 starts in 2021, but his ERA swelled to 5.11. Since then, he has started just 21 games.
With the Yankees, Yarbrough will likely be a bullpen piece that gives the club another left-handed option. New York was working with Tim Hill as its only legitimate southpaw option heading into the regular season. Still, the bullpen is expected to be one of the best in all of baseball after acquiring star closer Devin Williams from the Milwaukee Brewers.
Yarbrough’s previous ability to start games could also come in handy for a starting rotation that has already been decimated by injuries this year. Gerrit Cole is out for the entire season after undergoing Tommy John surgery earlier this month, and Luis Gil is sidelined for at least three months with a lat strain. It leaves the Bronx Bombers with a five-man rotation of Max Fried, Carlos Rodon, Marcus Stroman, and Carlos Carrasco while Carke Schmidt ramps back up from a spring shoulder injury.
Stats courtesy of Baseball Reference
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