Yankees' Latest Move Adds to Pitching Depth

Nothing was exciting about Winans' experience in the big leagues except his ability to limit walks. He was hit hard in his trips to the majors over the last two seasons, compiling a 7.20 ERA over 40 innings pitched. The 29-year-old, however, has posted a 3.26 ERA in parts of three seasons in Triple-A with a 21.8% strikeout rate.

He will likely have a chance to compete for a spot in the bullpen this spring, but the Yankees' rotation is pretty well stocked. With Gerrit Cole, Max Fried, Carlos Rodon, Clarke Schmidt and Luis Gil, there is no room for veteran right-hander Marcus Stroman, who the Yankees hope to move before Opening Day.

Winan reportedly has a minor league option remaining, meaning the Yankees can stash him in Triple-A as insurance against injuries to their starters. The minor league option means the Yankees can move him back and forth between the majors and minors without putting him through waivers and risk losing him to another team's claim. 

Blake could also work his magic on Winans and turn him into a reliable reliever. Over the last few years, the Yankees have populated their bullpen with other teams' castoffs, allowing Blake to rebuild them. He certainly has a track record of success, with Clay Holmes and Luke Weaver going from afterthoughts to dominant relievers under his tutelage.

Winans' initial baseball career path had him heading to New York. He was the 17th-round pick of the New York Mets in 2018 out of Campbell University.