The Yankees announced a series of minor league deals with non-roster invitations to Spring Training on Monday, including previously unreported agreements with right-handers Dan Otero and David Hale.
Otero, 35 later this month, was brilliant with the Indians from 2016-17, pitching to a combined 2.14 ERA with 6.5 K/9, 1.3 BB/9, 0.6 HR/9 and a 63 percent ground-ball rate in 130 2/3 innings of relief. However, he’s become increasingly homer-prone over the past two seasons (1.83 HR/9), and this past season’s 53.2 percent grounder rate marked roughly a 10 percent drop for the sinkerballer. Otero’s ability to avoid walks remains among the very best in baseball — eight walks in his past 88 1/3 innings — but the 89.5 mph he averaged on his sinker in 2019 was the lowest velocity of his career.
Hale, meanwhile, is a more familiar face for Yankees fans. The 32-year-old has gone through multiple stints with the Yankees over the past two seasons and threw quite well in 2019. Hale racked up 37 2/3 innings in a long relief role in 2019 and notched a tidy 3.11 ERA with a 23-to-7 K/BB ratio and an even 50 percent ground-ball rate.
Incredibly, this is the fifth minor league contract that Hale has signed with the Yankees since Jan. 2018. He originally signed a minor league pact with New York on Jan. 30 that year. Hale had his contract selected that April, landed with the Twins on a waiver claim and was released not long after. He returned to the Yankees on a second minor league deal, was again released following a DFA two weeks later, and re-signed with the Yanks the following day. Hale then re-signed with the Yankees on a minor league deal last winter and has now put pen to paper with them yet again.
Both pitchers will compete for spots in a crowded Yankees bullpen alongside fellow non-roster veterans Tyler Lyons and Luis Avilan. The top end of the Yankees’ relief corps looks to be largely set, health permitting, as Aroldis Chapman, Zack Britton, Adam Ottavino, Chad Green and Tommy Kahlne should all be locks. Others such as Jonathan Holder, Ben Heller and the out-of-options Luis Cessa will compete alongside the non-roster players in Spring Training as they hope to land a spot on the Opening Day roster as well.
Both will be pieces that the Yankees use to try and win the AAA championship.
Double agent David Hale returns!!!
both are good pieces to have around
I hafta say that Cashman hasta be the smartest n most hardworking GM in the game. He’s the one all GM to measure themselves by. Before the Evil Empire fans get all over me complimenting Cashman, I like excelkk ok acne n hard work in baseball no matter what team he may come from, n some like Bregman, I dislike.
This Yankee fan disapproves of this discombobulated comment.
Dangit now I have to use google translate.
Billy Beane would like a word with you
Billy Beane can’t even win his division…
Billy beane isn’t a GM…..
Yeah all those World Series wins for Beane definitely help affirm your point.
Casey? Is that you?
I’m not agreeing with you entirely, but Ca$hman has been consistent. We don’t have any idea what constraints Hal has put on Brian in order to stay under the luxury tax threshold. Also I would like to say that he hasn’t been perfect by any stretch “Ellsbury” and the jury is still out on Stanton. We coulda went for it on Arenado had we not had a landmark contract. IMO Stanton will be moved before his contract is up. Cole was a Gem for Ca$h and our Yankees and one of the if not the very best Free Agent acquisition in the last decade and beyond. He actually makes our pitching staff top 3 in the Majors. I believe D.J. will continue his pace this year and may even get better considering his 2B permanent status. Our glaring weakness will be 1B/3B Voit/Ford and Urshela/Andujar. We shall see how this all plays out….
Im just hoping for more length from the starters the bullpen has looked gassed in September/ October last few years. Never underestimate what difference a starter going 6-7 innings instead of 5 will do for a pen when the business end of the season comes around.
Having Cole, a fully healthy Severino, and a non-CC pitcher helps. I see Happ being the long-man if he stays mediocre or being cut.
The problem is most starters can’t pitch the third time through the order. Better to bring a reliever in.
True but where games are a blow out or not close what harm does letting a guy go 7 instead of 6 make?
True but where games are a blow out or not close what harm does letting a guy go 7 instead of 6 make?
Valid point. In that situation, let the starter take his medicine I guess.
Like that game last year when Tanaka gave up like 12 earned runs in the first two innings or something. It was cringey to watch but Boone wanted him to soak up innings. That outing inflated his seasonal ERA by close to a full point.
See now I have to think that’s Boone’s fault for not pulling him after 4 or 5 runs when the game was still salvageable.
What I hate is when the game is tied 2-2 or something like that after 5 innings and Boone brings the pitcher back out in the 6th to face the third time through the order and he gets smacked for 3 runs. So predictable. So avoidable. That’s a spot for Chad Greene. No brainer.
Reminds me of a name from the darkest depths of the mid 90s Phillies, Ricky Otero.
all-star ricky bo?
No, CF Ricky Otero who was a hot prospect for a minute. I can remember when Ricky Bottalico was our only all star…woof.
Ricky Bones? He hit the DL once injuring himself adjusting his recliner.
Don’t forget Johnny Lasagna!
Yankees also signed former Tampa farmhand Kevin Gadea
You’re hired!
The nice thing about these replacement level veteran relievers is that they can be brought up for a few games, DFAd, and then resigned immediately; and then the process can start all over again sometime later. It provides roster flexibility, without burning an option on a legit prospect who might not be 100% ready.