The Yankees added a veteran left-hander to their pitching staff on Monday, finalizing a Major League contract with left-hander Ryan Yarbrough. In a corresponding move, the club placed righty Luis Gil on the 60-day IL with a right lat strain.
Yarbrough is entering his eighth season in the Majors. He recorded a career-best 3.19 ERA across 44 relief appearances last year split between the Dodgers and Blue Jays. He re-signed with Toronto on a Minor League deal earlier this offseason, but he became a free agent once again last week after exercising an opt-out clause in his contract.
Yarbrough has been a valuable swingman throughout the bulk of his career and alternated between starting and relieving while with the Rays, Royals and Dodgers from 2018-23. Last season was the first in which Yarbrough pitched exclusively out of the bullpen.
The 33-year-old has always generated a lot of weak contact. His 29.4% hard-hit rate last season ranked second in the Majors among all pitchers who faced at least 300 batters. For his career, Yarbrough owns a 4.21 ERA across 768 innings and a 28% hard-hit rate.
Brian Murphy is a reporter for MLB.com.