Free-agent left-handed reliever Ryan Yarbrough signed a one-year deal for $2 million with $500,000 in incentives with the New York Yankees on Monday, a source tells ESPN's Jorge Castillo. Yarbrough was in spring training with the Toronto Blue Jays but decided to opt out of his minor-league deal on Sunday to become a free agent. The 33-year-old veteran southpaw spent 2024 with the Blue Jays and Los Angeles Dodgers, going 5-2 with a career-best 3.19 ERA (4.64 FIP), a 1.03 WHIP, one save, 65 strikeouts and 32 walks in 98 2/3 relief innings. With veteran Carlos Carrasco and pitching prospect Will Warren starting in the rotation for the Yankees due to injuries to Gerrit Cole (elbow), Lui Gil (lat) and Clarke Schmidt (shoulder), Yarbrough should operate in a bulk-relief role for the Yankees to begin the season. Yarbrough was fortunate to pitch as well as he did last year, and the soft-tosser won't have much fantasy value in 2025.
Ryan Yarbrough Signs Minor-League Contract With Toronto
Left-handed pitcher Ryan Yarbrough signed a minor-league contract with the Toronto Blue Jays. Yarbrough will also be invited to spring training. Yarbrough spent time with the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Blue Jays during the 2024 campaign. With the Dodgers, Yarbrough posted a 3.74 ERA and a 1.14 WHIP across 67 1/3 innings. However, the southpaw held a strong 2.01 ERA and a 0.80 WHIP across 31 1/3 innings with Toronto. He generated an elite 29.4 percent hard-hit rate, which placed him in the 99th percentile among qualified pitchers. However, Yarbrough only generated strikeouts at a 16.3 percent rate. Given his success with Toronto last season, Yarbrough could have a good opportunity to earn a spot in the bullpen. Fantasy managers should expect Yarbrough to operate as a long relief option if he were to crack the Opening Day roster. However, given his low strikeout upside, he will only have value in deeper AL-only formats if given occasional starts.
Ryan Burr To Start Thursday, Ryan Yarbrough To Serve In Bulk Relief
Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Ryan Burr will serve as the team's opener on Thursday against the Los Angeles Angels at Rogers Center, according to the team. Left-hander Ryan Yarbrough will likely be used in the bulk-relief role. This will be Burr's first "start" of the year. It's a great matchup against the light-hitting Halos, but Burr isn't going to go deep enough in this game to make him a realistic streaming candidate in fantasy. In 19 relief outings in 2024, he's posted a 5.40 ERA and 1.25 WHIP with 23 strikeouts and eight walks in 18 1/3 innings in his first year in Toronto. Yarbrough, who came over in the trade that sent outfielder Kevin Kiermaier to the Los Angeles Dodgers, has allowed four earned runs on four hits (one homer) while walking three and striking out three in his four relief appearances for the Jays. Stay away from both Burr and Yarbrough on Thursday.
The Los Angeles Dodgers are going with a bullpen game against the visiting Washington Nationals on Tuesday. Left-hander Ryan Yarbrough will pitch in "bulk" but won't necessarily make the traditional start. Pitching prospect Kyle Hurt, ranked by MLB Pipeline as the team's No. 6 prospect, will also be added on Tuesday for more depth out of the bullpen. LA will call up a starter, potentially prospect Landon Knack, for Wednesday's contest. The Dodgers' rotation is a little short-handed right now with right-hander Bobby Miller (shoulder) on the injured list and Walker Buehler (elbow) still not quite ready to make his 2024 debut. The 32-year-old Yarbrough is the best bet to provide the most length for the Dodgers on Tuesday, and he's allowed six runs (five earned) while walking four and striking out six in 14 2/3 innings of relief so far in 2024.
Ryan Yarbrough Starting On Thursday Versus Rockies
Los Angeles Dodgers left-hander Ryan Yarbrough will make the start on Thursday against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. It will be Yarbrough's second start for the Dodgers and ninth total in 2023. In 24 appearances (eight starts) for the Dodgers and Kansas City Royals this year, the 31-year-old southpaw has gone 8-6 with a 3.78 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, two saves and 65 strikeouts in 85 2/3 innings pitched. He should be able to provide the Blue with around three or four innings in a solid matchup, albeit at hitter-friendly Coors Field. In his 10 outings for LA since being acquired in a trade from the Royals, he's posted a 3.12 ERA (3.58 FIP), 1.07 WHIP, two saves and 36 K's in 34 2/3 innings of work.
The Los Angeles Dodgers and Kansas City Royals struck a deadline deal on Tuesday. According to Mark Feinsand of MLB.com, the Dodgers are getting lefty Ryan Yarbrough, while the Royals will receive infield prospect Derlin Figueroa. Yarbrough's best years came in a Tampa Bay uniform, as he posted a 4.02 ERA across 66 games combined from 2018 to the end of 2019. The 31-year-old hasn't been as successful since and is sporting a 4.24 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, ad a career-low 13.7% strikeout rate with a 4-5 record. Yarbrough likely slots into the Dodgers rotation as a veteran starter, leaving one of Emmet Sheehan, Michael Grove, or Bobby Miller out of a job.
Kansas City Royals left-hander Ryan Yarbrough (hamstring) left his start early on Wednesday against the Detroit Tigers with a left-hamstring cramp, according to the team. Yarbrough was able to make it through 5 2/3 innings before being removed, and he allowed three earned runs on six hits (one homer) while walking one and striking out four to lose his fifth game of the year. The 31-year-old southpaw should be able to make his next scheduled start next Monday against the Cleveland Guardians. Yarbrough hasn't been much of a fantasy option in 2023. He entered Wednesday's start with only 11 appearances (four starts), and he had posted a 5.29 ERA (4.63 FIP) and just 19 strikeouts in 32 1/3 frames.
Kansas City Royals left-handed pitcher Ryan Yarbrough (head) is expected to return and start Sunday's meeting with the Guardians. The 31-year-old has been on the shelf since the beginning of May after sustaining multiple non-displaced fractures via a Ryan Noda comebacker. Yarbrough appeared in 10 games this season before going down, starting three, and compiled a 1-4 record with a 6.15 ERA. While it's certainly nice to see he's healed and ready to return, not many fantasy managers are as enthusiastic about putting him into the starting lineup, even with a favorable matchup on the horizon.
Kansas City Royals pitcher Ryan Yarbrough is scheduled to throw a three-inning live batting practice session Wednesday as he works his way back from skull fractures. The left-hander was struck by a comebacker off the bat of A's first baseman Ryan Noda on May 7 and was immediately sent to a local hospital. Thankfully, the veteran has progressed well in his recovery to this point he is set to face live hitters for the first time on Wednesday. Prior to his injury, Yarbrough struggled to a 6.15 ERA while his strikeout rate shrunk all the way to just 12.4%. If all goes well Wednesday, he could embark on a rehab assignment sooner than later.
Kansas City Royals manager Matt Quatraro told reporters that starting pitcher Ryan Yarbrough (head) has been released from the hospital Monday and will undergo more testing on Tuesday, according to Anne Rogers of MLB.com. The left-hander was hit in the head by a comebacker during Sunday's game and immediately left the field. The club placed Yarbrough on the 15-day injured list, but everything is trending in the right direction right now. The 31-year-old has had a disastrous first season in Kansas City, posting a 6.15 ERA with 14 strikeouts and seven walks over 26.1 innings and has almost no fantasy value in any format.
Ryan Yarbrough
• RP
•
Yankees
