The New York Yankees have released veteran left-hander Jon Niese after an uninspiring spring training.
The New York Yankees were hoping former Met Jon Niese would provide the Bombers with some long relief and left-handed depth in the bullpen, but it simply didn’t work out.
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On Sunday, the team announced they have released the 30-year-old southpaw. They signed him to a minor league deal on February 20 and decided that he would not be a dark horse rotation candidate, but more of a bullpen depth option.
Niese, who spent eight years with the New York Mets from 2008-15 and then again for six games last season, has just 14 games in relief under his belt and has surrendered 12 runs in 18.1 innings of work (5.89 ERA).
In Grapefruit League play, he surrendered three runs on five hits in six innings of work (4.50 ERA). With the 40-man roster crunch the Yankees have right now, it didn’t make much sense for them to use a spot on Niese.
According to Joel Sherman of the NY Post, the team wants him to come to minor league camp and stay with the organization to work on arm strength. For now, however, he is a free agent.