Yankees To Sign Ryan Yarbrough
The Yankees and free agent left-hander Ryan Yarbrough have agreed to a major league contract, reports Robert Murray of FanSided. The Excel Sports client opted out of a minor league deal with the division-rival Blue Jays over the weekend and was granted his release.
Yarbrough, 33, has spent the bulk of his career in the AL East, most of it with the Rays, for whom he pitched from 2018-22. He spent about half the 2024 season with the Jays, pitching well after coming over in a trade with the Dodgers. Yarbrough logged 31 1/3 frames with Toronto and notched a pristine 2.01 ERA with a 22.2% strikeout rate and 6% walk rate.
Yarbrough finished the ’24 season with a career-low 3.19 ERA in 98 2/3 innings, but that came with a paltry 16% strikeout rate and one of the tamest fastballs in the sport — averaging just 86.5 mph, per Statcast. Like new teammate Tim Hill, Yarbrough has good command but rarely misses bats. He and Hill both rely on unusual deliveries and soft contact, as opponents struggle to barrel their pitches.
Bichette says Jays have the talent to make a run in 2025
Bo Bichette had the worst season of his career last year and was one of the many reasons things never got going for the Toronto Blue Jays in 2024.
The 27-year-old shortstop hit .225 – well below his career average of .299 entering last season – with four home runs and played just 81 games while spending time on the injured list with calf issues and a broken finger. Coming from a player who led the American League in hits back-to-back seasons in 2021 and 2022, it was a major drop-off.
If 2025 is going to be a different story, Bichette figures to be at the centre of any turnaround. And he thinks the team is in a good place to do just that.
“I think we’re super talented,” Bichette told the Toronto Sun’s Rob Longley in a story posted Monday morning. “I think we have everything we need. I think what has to go right is we have to bring it every day. With championship teams, there’s no days taken off and we just have to go out there every day to win. And that’s it.”
Bichette also revealed that last year was tough on him – both professionally and personally.
“We’re human. Last year, I know that I didn’t bring my best self. But we had lost a lot of games, so obviously a lot of things went wrong. There’s not much more to it. There’s not much to be said about it. I just wasn’t my best.”
Bichette also believes last season’s failures could help him deal with whatever challenges this year may bring.
“I really have nothing to fear now,” he said. “When I realized that, I kind of realized the joy I have for the game again and I’m just excited for the season.”
Scheduled to become a free agent after this season, Bichette has spent his entire six-year MLB career with the Blue Jays. He made the All-Star team in both 2021 and 2023 and had been one of the better offensive shortstops in baseball until last season’s dip.
However, the Orlando native set the stage for a bounce-back campaign with a strong spring, slashing .373/.411/.667 with four home runs and nine RBI in 18 games, helping lead the Jays to the best record in the Grapefruit League.
Manager John Schneider told Longley he has been impressed by Bichette’s mindset as he prepares for the new year.
“He’s really, really intense. He’s taking advantage of every at-bat, he has a plan every single at-bat and he’s pissed off when he doesn’t do it,” Schneider said.
The Jays get their season started Thursday at Rogers Centre against the Baltimore Orioles.
