The New York Yankees have signed left-handed reliever Ryan Yarbrough to an MLB deal, first reported by Max Mannis and later confirmed by Robert Murray of FanSided. The left-handed reliever spent the 2024 season with the Toronto Blue Jays and Los Angeles Dodgers, as his funky delivery and a wide array of weapons allow him to have above-average Stuff+ scores despite having a sinker that rarely if ever touches 90 MPH.
With the team in need of some left-handed depth at the backend of their bullpen, Yarbrough provides a unique look, and he improved upon landing with the Blue Jays mid-season. Signed to an MLB deal, the 33-year-old will make the team’s roster, and he could be an interesting swingman due to his ability to both pitch out of the bullpen and provide some length as a former starter with various organizations including the Rays and Royals.
Ryan Yarbrough Joins the Yankees on MLB Deal, Bullpen Gets A Boost
Bullpen depth was quickly becoming a need for the Yankees after a slew of early injuries sustained throughout Spring Training, and the news that Ian Hamilton wouldn’t be ready for Opening Day only emphasized that need. Ryan Yarbrough provides the Yankees with an interesting profile capable of keeping the ball on the ground and attacking the zone due to a wide array of pitches at his disposal.
The Blue Jays seemed to unlock something in the southpaw down the stretch when they acquired him, as he posted a 2.01 ERA with a 3.49 FIP in 31.1 innings pitched. An increase in his four-seam usage and a lesser reliance on a cutter that was getting bashed would lead to more swings and misses alongside some less loud contact, as his HR/9 rate dropped after changing teams.
With a 13-degree Arm Angle, Ryan Yarbrough has a tough delivery for teams to pick up, and he has an array of pitches such as a sinker, curveball, and changeup he also uses extensively.
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Yarbrough may be in the 1st Percentile in terms of fastball velocity, but he’s in the 97th Percentile in Average Exit Velocity and in the 99th Percentile in Hard-Hit%. He may also love pitching in the Bronx, as in 36.2 innings of work at Yankee Stadium, he has pitched to a 1.96 ERA with 29 strikeouts. The Yankees love adding pitchers with unique traits and Ryan Yarbrough is about as funky as it gets, making this a pretty seamless fit for the organization.
It’s unclear who the Yankees will carry to fill out the rest of their roster, as the bullpen and bench are still mostly undecided for now. Oswald Peraza has yet to be told whether the team will take him to New York or not, and without options, that would leave him on the waiver wire for a team to pick him up for free. The same rings true for various relievers on the team, although cuts have been made including Geoff Hartlieb and Wilking Rodriguez over the weekend.