Yankees News: Ex-Rays INF Matt Duffy Signs Minor League Contract

Former San Francisco Giants and Tampa Bay Rays infielder Matt Duffy is getting another shot after the Texas Rangers released him from a minor league contract earlier Sunday.   

The New York Yankees announced they're adding the 2015 Rookie of the Year runner-up to their 60-man roster as training camp 2.0 prepares to open on July 1. 

Even with the caveat that the Yankees have suffered tremendously from key players getting injured over the last year, the road to making the final roster won't be easy for Duffy. New York already has Gleyber Torres, Gio Urshela, Luke Voit, Miguel Andujar, Tyler Wade and DJ LeMahieu vying for the four infield spots.

That doesn't mean Duffy won't add value.

Given the unusual nature of the 60-game regular season in 2020, adding players with MLB experience serves as a necessary back-up plan. And Duffy can certainly play. His numbers tell a strong story there. It's staying healthy where the 29-year-old finds trouble. 

Despite breaking into the pros with the Giants in 2014—and earning a World Series title with the club that year—Duffy has only appeared in 452 regular-season games. 

During his first full season in 2015, he appeared headed for stardom, slashing .295/.334/.428 with 12 home runs and 77 RBI in 149 games. Duffy finished second in Rookie of the Year voting behind Kris Bryant of the Chicago Cubs. 

To date, it's the most games Duffy has played in a single season. 

An Achilles injury limited him to just 90 games in 2016, and a midseason trade sent him to the Rays as part of a deal for Matt Moore. The rehab process would cost him all of the 2017 season.

Duffy played just 178 games over the next two seasons, leading Tampa Bay to release him in November.

After signing a minor league deal with Texas in January, he'll now get a shot with a Yankees team that enters the season as a title contender.