NEW YORK – The Yankees quickly found a replacement for their bullpen by agreeing a one-year, $ 2.5 million contract with right-handed pitcher Darren O’Day, a person familiar with the negotiations told AP on Wednesday.
The deal includes player and club options for 2022, said the person, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the deal is subject to a successful physical examination.
O’Day takes the vacancy when the Yankees traded right-hander Adam Ottavino to Boston on Monday, a move that cut $ 7,150,000 from New York payroll. O’Day believes he will join left-wing Zack Britton and right-hander Chad Green as the main trainers for striker Aroldis Chapman.
O’Day, 38, had a 4-0 record with an effectiveness of 1.10 to 16 innings and a third in 19 games last year with Atlanta, striking out 22 and walking 5, allowing 8 hits. While his fast ball averaged just 86 mph, the angle below his arm creates a hoax. The right hitters beat him just 143 (7 in 49) with a homer, by Xander Bogaerts of Boston, the first batter of the lineup in his last appearance in the season. The left-handed batters went against him 10-1.
He became a free agent when Atlanta turned down a $ 3,250,000 option, resulting in a $ 250,000 buyout.
O’Day is a 13-year veteran in the Major Leagues, scoring 40-19 with 2.51 and 600 strikeouts and 158 tickets in 576 2/3 innings for the Los Angeles Angels (2008), New York Mets (2009) ), Texas Rangers (2009-11), Baltimore Orioles (2012-18) and Atlanta Braves (2019-20).
He was All-Star in 2015, when he had an effectiveness of 1.52-six saves while striking out 82 in 65 1/3 innings, but missed the last two months of the 2018 season with a strain on the suffrage tendon left and the first five months of 2019 with sustained right forearm distension during spring training.
Last year he earned $ 833,333 in prorated pay from a $ 2,250,000 salary, below a $ 31 million, four-year contract he signed with Baltimore before the 2016 season.
His wife, Elizabeth Prann, is a correspondent for HLN and CNN, formerly Fox News.