he New York Yankees have several big decisions to make this offseason regarding the makeup of their current roster. Big free agents include Cody Bellinger, Trent Grisham, and Devin Williams.
However, the Yankees’ pitching staff also needs to be addressed in some capacity, and New York’s front office made its first notable free-agent signing on Monday.
Robert Murray of FanSided reports that the New York Yankees are finalizing a one-year deal with versatile left-handed reliever Ryan Yarbrough. Murray also reports that it is a major league contract.
Ryan Yarbrough was a New York Yankee in 2025. Over 19 appearances, which included eight starts, Yarbrough posted a 4.36 ERA in 64 innings.
He spent time with the Dodgers and Blue Jays in 2024. The financials of the deal have yet to be announced, as Yarbrough likely has to undergo a physical before the deal can go through.
This early signing is drastically different for Ryan Yarbrough, as last season featured him staying on the market until the end of February, where he signed with the Blue Jays on a minor-league deal before opting out of that deal and being picked up by the Yankees before the 2025 campaign.
Eugene Gologursky/Getty Images for Cantor FitzgeraldYankees GM Brian Cashman is likely to work the phones this off-season.
Yarbrough is a finesse pitcher. He doesn’t have the stuff to overpower anyone at this juncture in his career, but he’s become known as a pitcher who nibbles on the corner of the strike zone and leaves hitters unbalanced. The one draw to Yarbrough’s game is that when hitters have him timed up, he’s prone to give up home runs. He gave up 13 home runs in 2025 over those 64 innings.
Yankees’ 2026 Pitching Outlook
Signing Ryan Yarbrough is going to be the first of many moves for the New York Yankees this offseason.
New York is working on rounding out its pitching staff before the 2026 season. Reliever Luke Weaver is also a free agent, along with Devin Williams.
If New York is unable to retain one of those two players, it will be extremely important for Brian Cashman and company to add more depth to the bullpen.
At the forefront of the Ryan Yarbrough news, it’s good that the Yankees are active early, but the versatile southpaw isn’t a needle mover, and very rarely gets high-leverage appearances.
