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On Sunday, Ryan Yarbrough was released from his minor league contract with the Toronto Blue Jays. Monday, the veteran left-hander signed with the division-rival New York Yankees.
"There were other teams, but this was by far the team I was most interested in," Yarbrough said of the Yankees, according to Chris Kirschner of The Athletic. "I've heard a lot from the pitching side (about) what they've been able to do with guys. That was exciting and intriguing to me."
Ryan Yarbrough on why he signed with the Yankees: "There were other teams, but this was by far the team I was most interested in.
— Chris Kirschner (@ChrisKirschner) March 24, 2025
"I've heard a lot from the pitching side (about) what they've been able to do with guys. That was exciting and intriguing to me."
Robert Murray of FanSided was first to link Yarbrough to the Yankees on Monday.
Yarbrough is 53-40 with a 4.21 ERA in parts of seven major league seasons. He began last season with the Los Angeles Dodgers — who ultimately defeated the Yankees in the 2024 World Series — but was traded to the Blue Jays at midseason.
After becoming a free agent at the end of last season, Yarbrough rejoined the Blue Jays on a minor league contract in February.
But a so-so spring training — 6.2 innings, 8 hits, and three runs allowed — wasn't enough to earn Yarbrough a spot on Toronto's 40-man roster.
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The Yankees' starting rotation has been decimated by injuries since they reported to spring training.
Clarke Schmidt and Ian Hamilton will not be ready to start the season on time, per Cashman
— Greg Joyce (@GJoyce9) March 22, 2025
Ace Gerrit Cole recently underwent Tommy John surgery. Two other starters, reigning American League Rookie of the Year Luis Gil (strained lat) and Clarke Schmidt (shoulder) will begin the season on the injured list.
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Enter Yarbrough, who saw the Yankees often from 2018-22 with the Tampa Bay Rays as both a starter and a reliever. Yarbrough split the 2023 season with the Kansas City Royals and the Dodgers, with whom he worked almost exclusively as a reliever.
Yarbrough went 5-2 with a 3.19 ERA last season in 44 games with the Dodgers and Blue Jays.
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Yarbrough's fastball averaged 86.2 mph last season, according to Statcast, third-slowest among qualified major league pitchers. His 16.3 percent strikeout rate ranked in the sixth percentile.
Expect Yarbrough to see work as a long reliever behind the Yankees' season-opening rotation of Carlos Rodon, Max Fried, Marcus Stroman, Will Warren, and Carlos Carrasco.
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Gil was transferred to the 60-day injured list in a corresponding roster move.
Yarbrough, 33, was originally a fourth-round draft pick by the Seattle Mariners in 2014 out of Old Dominion.
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About the writer
J.P. Hoornstra writes and edits Major League Baseball content. A veteran of 20 years of sports coverage for daily newspapers ... Read more