Following rumors from just yesterday, The New York Yankees have signed lefty Hideki Okajima to a minor league deal and he will get a spring training invite, according to David Waldstein via twitter (originally reported by Sports Hochi).
Okajima, 36, spent five seasons with the Red Sox and compiled a 17-8 record, 6 saves, and a 3.11 ERA as a reliever before eventually being designated for assignment in May. He was only able to see limited time in the majors during the 2011 season, pitching just 8 innings at a 4.32 ERA clip.
Mike Ashmore of ThunderBaseball points out the Yankees tendency to pursue Japanese relievers, and notes that Okajima's results lately have been less than ideal:
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Twitter / @DavidWaldstein: Yankees have agreed to min ...
Yankees have agreed to minor league deal with former Red Sox reliever Hideki Okajima, will get spring invite. first report by Hochi Shinbun -
MLB Rumors: Aoki, Okajima, Pinto, Whitesell - MLB Daily Dish
Sponichi is reporting that the New York Yankees are working on a minor league deal for Hideki Okajima, while the Softbank Hawks are trying to lure lefty Renyel Pinto to Japan, according to Newman.
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Twitter / @mashmore98: I guess the Yankees have s ...
I guess the Yankees have some sort of contractual obligation to have a crappy Japanese pitcher in camp... -
Twitter / @mashmore98: Okajima really, really tai ...
Okajima really, really tailed off after a solid first few years w Boston. WHIP over the last two years isn't pretty either.