The Yankees have inked a minor league deal with veteran right-handed pitcher Anthony Desclafani, assigning him to their Triple-A affiliate in Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
The 35-year-old last took the mound for the Giants in 2023, where he recorded a 4.88 ERA over 19 games, with 18 being starts. He underwent surgery in March 2024 to repair a flexor tendon in his right arm.
Desclafani could provide valuable depth for a team in need of starting options.
Currently, Ryan Yarbrough serves as the Yankees’ fifth starter. Following Carlos Carrasco’s designation for assignment last week, Alan Winans is next in line in Triple-A.
Carrasco passed through waivers and accepted a full assignment to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, making his first start with the team against Toledo on Tuesday.
In his last outing, Desclafani allowed two runs on six hits across 4 2/3 innings while walking one batter in the fourth.
A native of Freehold, New Jersey, Desclafani was selected by the Blue Jays in the sixth round of the 2011 draft and was traded to the Marlins in 2012 as part of a notable deal involving Josh Johnson.
He made his major league debut in Miami that same year and was later traded to the Reds.
From 2015 to 2020, Desclafani made 110 starts with the Reds and had a record of 35-37 alongside a 4.19 ERA, before experiencing a successful stint with the Giants.
His standout season came in 2021 when he re-signed with San Francisco on a three-year, $36 million contract, posting a 3.17 ERA across 31 starts.
In 2022, however, injuries limited him to just five games, resulting in a 6.63 ERA due to an ankle issue that required season-ending surgery.
The Giants eventually traded him to the Mariners as part of the Robby Ray deal before the 2024 season, where he fluctuated between the majors and minors as part of a package involving Jorge Polanco.
He didn’t play in the game against Minnesota.
Desclafani’s career record stands at 54-56 with a 4.20 ERA, accumulated over 180 appearances, with 169 of those being starts.
