YANKEES JUST GOT MORE BULLPEN HELP!

The Yankees are making sure their bullpen stays intact while Devin Williams steps away for paternity leave, and they’re doing it with a familiar face—Adam Ottavino. The veteran right-hander has officially signed a Major League deal and was immediately added to the active roster, bringing some much-needed reinforcement to a pen that’s already been put through the wringer by early-season injuries.

And yes, that’s the Adam Ottavino—the same guy who once boldly declared that he could strike out Babe Ruth if given the chance. Now, while we’ll never know if the Sultan of Swat would have taken him deep or flailed at a nasty slider, what we do know is that Ottavino was lights-out the last time he wore pinstripes. Back in 2019, he was one of the Yankees’ most dominant bullpen arms, posting a ridiculous 1.90 ERA over 66.1 innings and making hitters look silly with his signature sweeping slider.

Since then, he’s bounced around a bit, including a recent stint with the Red Sox—yes, those Red Sox—after signing a minor league deal in February. However, he opted out on March 23 when it became clear Boston wasn’t giving him a big-league spot (which, honestly, is probably for the best for him). Now, he’s back in the Bronx, and the timing couldn’t be better.

With Williams temporarily out of the picture, Luke Weaver is expected to take over ninth-inning duties, while Ottavino slides in as a veteran setup man. It’s a smart, no-nonsense move by the Yankees—one that keeps the bullpen from skipping a beat while also giving fans a chance to once again enjoy Ottavino’s wipeout stuff (and maybe, just maybe, a few more spicy soundbites along the way).