The Yankees have inked a minor league deal with left-handed pitcher Tim Mayza, according to a report from The Athletic’s Brendan Kuty and Katie Woo. Mayza, 32, has had a tough season with the Blue Jays and is set to join Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. He was released by Toronto after posting an 8.03 ERA over 35 appearances. While his walk rate of 9.9% was decent, his strikeout rate and ground ball rate were underwhelming at 13.2% and 39.1%, respectively.
Despite this year’s struggles, Mayza has shown potential in the past. After undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2019 and missing the 2020 season, he delivered strong performances between 2021 and 2023. During that period, he made 193 appearances with a 2.67 ERA, a 24.9% strikeout rate, a 6.3% walk rate, and a 58.3% ground ball rate. His recent poor results could be partly due to bad luck, as indicated by his .367 BABIP and 54.8% strand rate.
The Yankees are in need of left-handed bullpen support as their current options have been struggling. If Mayza can bounce back, he could be a valuable asset. The Blue Jays are covering his $3.59 million salary, so the Yankees would only need to pay the prorated league minimum if he makes it to the major league roster, making him an affordable option for New York.