Ian Hamilton, a seasoned reliever, has come to the rescue of the ailing pitching staff of the New York Yankees.
Hamilton, 29, was activated by the Yankees Tuesday morning after being placed on the 15-day injured list. Due to a viral ailment, Hamilton missed the beginning of the season and pitched 2.1 rehab innings at Triple-A, giving up four runs.
The return of Hamilton implies a familiar deal for Adam Ottavino, who was once again assigned by the Yankees. Ottavino was DFA’d by the Yankees on Friday, his release was publicized on Sunday, and he was re-signed on Sunday night.
In other words, Ottavino will likely return to the mound later this week.
Let’s go back to Hamilton, who over the past two years has become a vital member of the bullpen. Hamilton was briefly considered as a starter by the Yankees in 2023, but once he became a middle reliever, he gained Aaron Boone’s favor.
After 95.2 innings in pinstripes, Hamilton has a 3.10 ERA, 2.1 bWAR, and a 110-40 K-BB ratio.
Poor pitching has been a major factor in the Yankees’ four losses in their last six games. Boone’s team started the game Tuesday in fifth place in walks allowed (45, nine more than the league average) and tenth place in ERA (4.48; the league average is 4.08).
The Yankees’ losing skid on Monday was their second in a row. It wasn’t until April 25–26, the Yankees’ 26th and 27th games of the season, when they suffered their second straight defeat.
