MLB Rumors: Latest Buzz on Yankees' Pursuit of Fernando Abad, Josh Harrison

The New York Yankees already possess one of the best bullpen units in baseball.

New York's bullpen ranked second in fWAR last season, per FanGraphs. Guys like Chad Green could be deployed as an opener or in the later innings, while Zach Britton and Adam Ottavino often left runners stranded.

But with closer Aroldis Chapman still sidelined because of continued positive tests for COVID-19, the Bronx Bombers are seeking additional depth.

Jon Heyman of MLB Network reported Friday the Yankees have come to an agreement with veteran left-hander Fernando Abad.

The 34-year-old from the Dominican Republic initially signed a deal with the Washington Nationals this winter, but he was released July 17.

Abad will now have the chance to revitalize his career in the Big Apple. He has a career 3.67 ERA in nearly 331 innings of work and spent the 2019 campaign with the San Francisco Giants, appearing in 21 games and posting a 4.15 ERA. Abad missed the entirety of the 2018 season, in part because of a suspension stemming from a positive steroid test.

As good as New York's bullpen was last season, it lacked left-handed depth outside of Chapman and Britton. Luis Avilan also made the 40-man roster, but Abad should give Yankees manager Aaron Boone more flexibility in the middle innings.

Abad is hardly the same kind of "power pitcher" as many of the other arms in New York's bullpen. Instead, his ability to locate and mix his breaking stuff and off-speed pitches helps him thrive. 

Opponents have traditionally had limited success against Abad's slow curveball, hitting just .160 against the pitch in 2017, per Baseball Savant. He also takes something extra off the changeup, relying on finesse to generate whiffs and have success.

It remains to be seen when Chapman will return to the closer role. In the meantime, Abad is a potential option to throw an inning here or there as the Yankees look to get out to a commanding lead in the American League East.

Multiple Teams Interested in Josh Harrison

Carlos Osorio/Associated Press

Heyman also reported veteran infielder Josh Harrison is garnering interest from a number of teams, including contenders like the Yankees, Atlanta Braves and Cincinnati Reds.

Harrison spent spring training with the Philadelphia Phillies, though his time with the team might not have been as "good" as Heyman suggests. The 33-year-old had just four hits in 22 at-bats, though two of those hits were homers.

The Phillies granted Harrison his release Tuesday.

The two-time All-Star has had a hard time sticking in recent years. Harrison had a .656 OPS in 97 games with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2018 and followed with a paltry .480 OPS in 36 games with the Detroit Tigers last year.

Harrison offers positional versatility both in the infield and outfield. Indeed, he has mostly been a plus defender at multiple positions throughout his career. However, he remains a soft-hitting position player who strikes out far too often for someone with a 4 percent career walk rate, per FanGraphs. 

It will be interesting to see whether any of these teams agree to terms with Harrison, perhaps in an effort to add speed and defense.

All stats obtained via Baseball Reference, unless otherwise noted.