BOOST: Yankees confirm a huge League Deal with agreement sign

Left-hander Thomas Pannone has signed a minor league contract with the Yankees and has been assigned to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, as noted in his transactions tracker on MLB.com. Previously with the Cubs on a minor league deal, Pannone was released earlier this week.

Pannone, 30, was part of the rotation for Triple-A Iowa before his release, where he posted decent numbers, potentially triggering an opt-out. After signing with the Cubs in the winter, he pitched 90 2/3 innings over 19 starts, achieving a 4.37 ERA, a 22% strikeout rate, an 8.1% walk rate, and a 42% ground ball rate. The International League has been a high run-scoring environment this year, with pitchers averaging a 4.90 ERA. Pannone’s 4.37 ERA ranks 12th among 29 qualified pitchers in the league.

The Yankees currently have a strong major league rotation but have faced depth issues. Despite having Gerrit Cole, Carlos Rodón, Nestor Cortes, Marcus Stroman, and Luis Gil in the main rotation, injuries have affected their depth. Clarke Schmidt, JT Brubaker, Cody Poteet, and Clayton Beeter are all sidelined. Schmidt has been on the injured list since late May due to a lat strain and hasn’t started rehab. Poteet has been out for about a month with a right triceps strain and also hasn’t begun rehab. Brubaker, recovering from Tommy John surgery, was recently shut down with an oblique strain. Beeter has a shoulder issue and might miss the rest of the season, according to Greg Joyce of the New York Post on X.

Given Pannone’s performance this year, the Yankees have signed him to bolster their depth. He has 118 2/3 innings of major league experience with the Blue Jays and Brewers, with a 5.46 ERA. He also spent parts of 2022 and 2023 in Korea, pitching 165 innings for the KBO’s Kia Tigers with a 3.49 ERA. If Pannone is added to New York’s roster, he will be out of options.