Free-agent pitcher Ryan Yarbrough and the New York Yankees are closing in on a one-year contract, sources say.
Yarbrough, 33, becomes the second major-league free agent to sign this offseason. The left-hander has spent the majority of his career in the American League East where he played five seasons with the Tampa Bay Rays before brief stints with the Toronto Blue Jays (12 games) and Yankees this past season.
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Why the Yankees chose to keep Ryan Yarbrough around
In eight seasons in the majors, Yarbrough has posted a 4.22 ERA and 654 strikeouts across 832 innings. He offers a five-pitch mix, most prominently featuring his cutter (25.4%) as well as a changeup (20.6%), sinker (20.5%), sweeper (19.4%) and four-seamer (13.8%), according to Baseball Savant.
A career swingman, Yarbrough provides crucial depth in a rotation that will have Gerrit Cole, Carlos Rodon and Clarke Schmidt starting the season on the Injured List. He played a critical role with the Yankees doing so in 2025, signing a $2 million contract (with incentives) after surprisingly being released from a minor-league contract by the Blue Jays.
For the Yankees, pitching challenges are ahead
“We have pitching depth, but it’s going to be challenged early,” Brian Cashman recently told reporters. “Hopefully health is blessed early in the rotation as well, but you can’t count on that. So of course, we’ll be exploring how to protect ourselves so we’re not taking on water early.”
With Yarbrough close to signed, the Yankees’ needs include another starting pitcher and at least one outfielder, as well as bullpen help with two high-leverage relievers, Devin Williams and Luke Weaver, both currently free agents. “We have got to weigh the available marketplace via free agency or trades, with the committed payroll thereafter and measure opportunities for some players knocking on the door, earning the right to maybe take the next step from down below,” Cashman told reporters.