Yankees sign Ottavino, place Williams to paternity list
04/01/2025 11:56 AM
The club welcomes back an old friend for relief depth as their closer briefly steps away.
Ahead of welcoming the Arizona Diamondbacks to the Bronx for a three-game set, the Yankeesmade a trio of roster moves on Tuesday morning. Our old friend Adam Ottavino was signed and added to the MLB roster, while closer Devin Williams was moved to the paternity list as he and his fiancee prepare to welcome a child. Pitcher JT Brubaker was also transferred to the 60-day IL as he battles a rib injury.
Williams will be off the roster for a maximum of three days, due to return Friday when the Yankees travel to Pittsburgh. Ottavino will likely get an appearance or two in that time to prove that he can still hang at the MLB level (though Brent Headrick's option does offer at least a little flexibility). His 2024 looks bad by ERA, but all other advanced metrics have him at least half a run lower than earned run average. He still does walk a few too many guys, but last season featured his second-lowest walk rate since 2016, so if he can get it a notch or two lower, he may still have a part to play in the majors.
Yankees fans will remember Ottavino's two seasons in pinstripes, and his boast that he would have struck out Babe Ruth. He had a strong 2019 — too many walks, again — and a disaster of a COVID year, before time with the Red Sox and Mets.
Ottavino still has a great slider. With Marcus Stroman wearing zero now, though, he'll need a new uniform number unless the Yankees want to debut a pinstriped double-zero.
