Veteran reliever Ian Hamilton has been called upon to help fix the New York Yankees’ struggling pitching staff. The 29-year-old was activated from the 15-day injured list on Tuesday morning after missing the start of the season due to a viral infection. Although his rehab stint at Triple-A wasn’t perfect, allowing four runs in 2.1 innings, the Yankees are hoping he can quickly find his form in the big leagues. His return comes as the team is desperately looking for bullpen stability amid a rough stretch of pitching.
In a familiar turn of events, Hamilton’s return means another chapter in the saga of Adam Ottavino. The Yankees designated Ottavino for assignment last Friday, released him on Sunday, and then re-signed him later that evening. The rollercoaster transaction cycle means that Ottavino will likely be back on the mound soon. This is a move that highlights the Yankees’ ongoing shuffle with their bullpen, constantly searching for the right combination to put them back in contention.
Hamilton’s emergence as a vital bullpen piece over the past two years has been one of the few bright spots for the Yankees’ pitching staff. Though he was briefly used as a starter in 2023, Hamilton found his groove as a middle reliever, quickly becoming a trusted option for manager Aaron Boone. With a solid 3.10 ERA, 2.1 bWAR, and an impressive 110-40 K-BB ratio over 95.2 innings, Hamilton has proven to be effective in high-leverage situations, something the Yankees will need as they try to turn their season around.
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The Yankees’ pitching struggles have been a major issue so far this season, with the team losing four of their last six games. Entering play on Tuesday, the Yankees ranked 10th in the league in ERA at 4.48, slightly above the league average of 4.08. Their walk rate is also a concern, as they rank 5th in the league with 45 walks allowed, which is nine more than the league average. The team’s poor pitching has been a major factor in their recent losing streak, which saw them suffer back-to-back defeats for the second time this season.
This rocky start is in stark contrast to last season, when the Yankees didn’t lose consecutive games until late April, around their 26th and 27th games of the season. The current struggles have put manager Aaron Boone and his pitching staff under pressure to correct course quickly. With Hamilton’s return and Ottavino’s unpredictable role, the Yankees are hoping they can stabilize their bullpen and start winning games again before their early-season woes turn into a deeper problem.
