According to Joel Sherman on Twitter, the Yankees have signed Jon Niese to a minor league deal after a physical. Sherman also reports that the Yankees had been interested in lefties Boone Logan and Jerry Blevins but they were deemed too expensive.
Niese, 30, was ineffective with the Mets and Pirates this season, going 8-7 with a 5.50 ERA in 121 innings as a starter and reliever. In his career, the lefty has gone 69-68 with a 4.07 ERA and 4.02 FIP.
Last offseason the Mets traded Niese to the Pirates for second baseman Neil Walker, undoubtedly one of the better trades in Mets history. Sandy Alderson ended up trading failed experiment Antonio Bastardo back to the Pirates for Niese late in the 2016 season, but he was ineffective in a Mets uniform once again going 0-1 with an 11.45 ERA in 11 innings. Obviously it was the defense’s fault as he had a much better 8.15 FIP.
Niese will join the Yankees in Major League camp and they will look at him as either a starter or reliever.
