Looking for a low-risk, high-reward addition to their bullpen, the New York Yankees signed relief pitcher David Aardsma to a contract that will pay him a base salary of $500,000 this season.
The hard-throwing righty missed all of last season due to Tommy John surgery, and the Yankees don't expect him to make an instant impact.
Rather, they inked Aardsma with an eye to the future.
"Nothing ventured, nothing gained,'' general manager Brian Cashman said. "He's a power arm we picked up for $100,000 over the minimum (salary) and we feel it could have a nice payoff down the road.''
The 30-year-old saved 69 games for the Seattle Mariners during the 2009 and 2010 seasons. His best season came in 2009, when he saved 38 games with a 2.52 ERA and 80 strikeouts in 71.1 innings.
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