The New York Yankees have a long history of finding value in places other teams overlook, and Ryan Yarbrough was one of those quiet wins last season. After the Toronto Blue Jays decided not to keep him beyond spring training, the Yankees swooped in — and got a year of solid, adaptable pitching in return.
A Quiet Pickup That Paid Off
Yarbrough didn’t arrive in the Bronx with fanfare. He wasn’t a flashy signing, but his versatility became one of the Yankees’ most reliable safety nets. Early on, he was a bullpen stabilizer, soaking up innings and bridging the gap on days the rotation faltered. But when the Carlos Carrasco experiment went about as poorly as many predicted, Yarbrough stepped in and gave New York exactly what it needed: a capable, composed starter who knew how to navigate lineups and keep games close.
Before his midseason injury, Yarbrough was cruising. Through late June, his ERA sat at a tidy 3.90. Then came the oblique strain, a setback that stole his rhythm and, for a while, his command.
Late-Season Struggles Clouded an Otherwise Strong Year
When Yarbrough finally returned in September, it was clear he wasn’t quite the same. His sinker lacked a touch of life, and his secondary stuff just wasn’t effective. Over that final month, his ERA ballooned to 7.27, wiping out much of the good work he’d done earlier in the year and giving him a 4.36 final ERA.
Even so, his full-season performance told a clearer story: Yarbrough gave the Yankees quality innings in both roles and proved he could pivot between them seamlessly. For a team that spent most of the season juggling injuries to its pitching staff, that kind of reliability mattered more than the stat line might show.
Why a Reunion Makes Sense
It’s not surprising that MLB insider Joel Sherman recently floated Yarbrough’s name as a potential target for the Yankees in 2026. In his words, “The Yanks could try to reunite with someone like Ryan Yarbrough, who could start early and transition to the pen if they actually ever had too many starters.”
That logic tracks perfectly with how the Yankees tend to structure their pitching depth. The rotation, while undeniably talented, is also fragile. Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodon are both expected back in the first half but won’t be ready for Opening Day, and Clarke Schmidt’s availability will likely tilt toward the second half of the season.
In the meantime, the Yankees will need innings — dependable, low-drama innings. And that’s where someone like Yarbrough fits in beautifully. He’s not a strikeout machine, but he throws strikes, induces weak contact, and doesn’t rattle easily.
A Familiar Face for a Familiar Problem
If the Yankees were to bring Yarbrough back, it probably wouldn’t happen immediately. His market is the type that tends to take shape later in the offseason, once the big names are off the board and teams are looking for reliable depth pieces.
Still, the fit feels natural. He knows the clubhouse, handled New York’s expectations well, and proved he could fill multiple roles without complaint. For a front office that values flexibility and cost efficiency, Yarbrough checks every box.
The Yankees don’t need him to be a savior — just steady. And as they navigate another offseason of high hopes and health questions, a steady hand like Ryan Yarbrough might be exactly what keeps them from falling off course early.
Could a quiet reunion really be the move that pays off again? In the unpredictable world of pitching depth, it wouldn’t be the first time the Yankees found gold in a familiar place.
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