Yankees claim Astros pitcher off waivers

The New York Yankees claimed a pitcher off waivers from the Houston Astros on Friday. In a move to boost their pitching depth, the Yankees claimed right-handed hurler Kaleb Ort, the team announced. It has been a quiet offseason for the Yankees, but the Ort addition does give them another pitching option.

The Yankees are still being connected to star players in both free agency and trade rumors. The move to bring in Ort should not be overlooked, though.

The 33-year-old began his career in Boston with the Red Sox, where he would pitch from 2021-2023. He made just one big league appearance in 2021, and struggled out of the bullpen during the ’22 and ’23 campaigns.

In 2024, Ort made his Astros debut and turned in a strong 2.55 ERA across 22 outings. Ort took a step in the wrong direction in 2025 with a 4.89 ERA, but his 49 appearances set a new career-high.

David Bednar, Camilo Doval and Fernando Cruz are among the Yankees’ current relief options. New York’s bullpen could use another middle relief arm or two, so Ort should receive an opportunity to compete for a big league spot. While they could use another southpaw, Ort should still be a candidate to have a role in the bullpen as a right-hander.

New York will be a ball club worth watching closely over the next few weeks ahead of spring training. The Yankees will likely make at least one significant move, as they have been linked to stars such as Cody Bellinger and Bo Bichette in MLB free agency.