Yankees signing hometown pitcher to minor league deal could signal something greater

The New York Yankees are exactly one-third of the way through their season. It's that time of year for the Yanks to start giving up on any failed experiments they've been toying with — or any players that have struggled consistently — and zero in on an MLB depth chart plan that'll thrive in the fall.

Perhaps that process is underway after the Yankees signed pitcher Peter Strzelecki to a minor league deal on May 23.

Brian Cashman and Co. are more than likely looking to get a firm handle on all of the moving parts within the Yankees' pitching personnel. The return of Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodón have New York's starting rotation outlook as good as it gets. Once Max Fried returns from the IL, the Yankees will have a surplus of quality starters, and the presumed shift of Ryan Weathers to the bullpen at some point should bolster the club's weakest area. Then again, he's having an incredible year as well.

Weathers alone won't fix the Yankees' shaky 'pen, however. Cashman is widely expected to go shopping for bullpen help around the deadline, and he might also be planning to promote some of the organization's most talented farm arms into the MLB bullpen setting, sooner rather than later.

Yankees' new minor-league signing signals that New York might be calling up some of its most electric arms

The signing of Strzelecki was a move that points to other, more crucial promotions. Strzelecki isn't a guy who is expected to contribute to the MLB roster. He was signed to a minor-league deal to — almost assuredly — provide depth in Triple-A for when the Yankees call up multiple of Scranton's other pitchers.

Though Strzelecki grew up in Florida, he was born in Queens. The 31-year-old hasn't pitched in an MLB game since 2024 — that year, he logged a 2.31 ERA over 11 2/3 frames for Cleveland. In all, he's tallied 83 2/3 MLB innings in his career across stints with the Guardians, Milwaukee Brewers, and Arizona Diamondbacks. Strzelecki was signed by the Brewers in February but was DFA'd this month (he is out of options).

Strzelecki has solid career numbers, but his low-90s fastball doesn't figure to make him a candidate for the Yankees' big-league bullpen. The Yankees might be planning to recall Elmer Rodriguez soon for a bullpen role; and who knows, maybe Carlos Lagrange will factor back into the Yanks' 2026 plans despite his struggles this season.

There's also prospect Eric Reyzelman, who is pumping triple digits and just got promoted to Triple-A, and Ben Hess, another top prospect who just returned from injury and is getting back on track at Double-A.

With New York having many ingredients of a contender (at full health, anyway), you have to think Cashman is going to make some moves to shore up the bullpen so that it doesn't end up being the Achilles heel for a club that otherwise could reach its second World Series in three seasons. Hopefully, Cashman is leaning into that assignment, and this Strzelecki is an indicator of something bigger going on behind the scenes.

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow