The New York Yankees made a few housekeeping moves on Friday morning, the kind that doesn’t usually grab headlines but still speaks volumes about how carefully the team is managing its roster depth early in the season.
One of those moves involved parting ways—at least temporarily—with a familiar veteran arm.
Ottavino Gets the DFA Tag… Again
The Yankees officially designated 39-year-old right-handed reliever Adam Ottavino for assignment, just days after signing him to a major league deal.
Ottavino pitched 1.1 scoreless innings in pinstripes during his short stint, and he looked sharp in limited action. But his role was always meant to be a Band-Aid rather than a staple. His primary purpose was to fill in for closer Devin Williams, who was briefly away on paternity leave.
Ottavino may be 39, but his stuff hasn’t completely evaporated. He showed decent command and composure in his two appearances, and if bullpen attrition rears its head later in the year—as it often does—there’s a world where he could return in pinstripes.
Devin Williams Returns to the Back End
With Williams officially back, the Yankees are resetting their bullpen blueprint.
The 29-year-old closer didn’t exactly cruise through his season debut, surrendering two hits and an earned run in one shaky inning against the Brewers. But even the elite have off nights, and the Yankees still believe they have one of the nastiest weapons in baseball closing games.
Williams’ air-bending changeup and elite strikeout rates have made him a force over the past few seasons, and New York views him as a key piece in 2025—especially with the rotation still in flux and high-leverage innings needing reliability.
He’ll anchor the bullpen this year before potentially hitting the free agent market, and the Yankees will likely ride him as hard as they can while he’s here.
What Happens Next?
With Ottavino out of the picture for now, the Yankees’ bullpen regains its regular rhythm. But if the injury bug hits or if any arms begin to falter, Ottavino could find himself right back in the mix.
That’s the life of a veteran reliever on the back end of his career—always one phone call away, always on standby.