Yankees Rumors: Justin Wilson, NY Agree to Contract in Free Agency

Relief pitcher Justin Wilson is reportedly headed back to the New York Yankees.  

Sweeny Murti of Sportsradio 66 WFAN reported the American League East team reached an agreement with the southpaw on Monday. Wilson has been in the major leagues since 2012 and has pitched for the Pittsburgh Pirates, Yankees, Detroit Tigers, Chicago Cubs and New York Mets.

Wilson will be another left-handed presence in a bullpen that already features Aroldis Chapman and Zack Britton, although he will likely be more of a middle/late-innings option than a closer or pure set-up man.

The 33-year-old pitched for the Yankees in 2015 and finished with a 3.10 ERA, 1.13 WHIP and 66 strikeouts in 61 innings while appearing in a career-best 74 games.

It wouldn't be a surprise to see New York use him in similar fashion as someone who can start an inning clean, come in to retire a formidable left-handed hitter or serve as a bridge between the starting rotation and the Britton-Chapman combination at the end of games.

He finished the shortened 2020 campaign with a solid but unspectacular 3.66 ERA, 1.37 WHIP and 23 strikeouts in 19.2 innings while pitching for the Mets. However, he posted an impressive 2.54 ERA in 2019.

Wilson isn't the only bullpen addition for the Yankees this offseason as they also added right-hander Darren O'Day. 

New York, which finished the 2020 season in second place in the American League East before losing to the Tampa Bay Rays in the AL Divisional Series, was 16th in bullpen ERA last year and could use some improvements as it looks to ascend to the top of the division.