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Here’s the latest from some of the Mets’ top prospects at Double-A media day…

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Jett the Met is 100 percent

Last season didn’t quite go as planned forJett Williams. 

The No. 2 ranked prospect on SNY’s Top 30 list had his development slowed down a bit as he was limited to just 33 games after undergoing a wrist procedure that kept him sidelined for a little over four months.

Williams was able to make his way back down the stretch and then participated in both the Arizona Fall League and big-league spring training -- so now he’s feeling 100 percent heading into the Double-A season. 

The versatile youngster will continue receiving reps at all three positions up the middle -- but he told reporters on Tuesday at Binghamton Media Day that the team is planning on giving him more time in center field this year.

“It doesn't matter to me, as long as I’m on the field whether that’s at short, second, center. They told me I was going to be getting more reps in center, but at the end of the day, it’s just going out there, and just being on the field and staying healthy.” 

Williams has appeared in 33 games in center to this point in his career -- but if he can master the position and regain his dominant form at the plate while staying healthy, he just might be able to continue cruising his way through the system. 

Clifford looking to be more consistent, will play some OF 

Ryan Clifford is another one of the Mets’ top prospects who will start the year on a loaded Binghamton squad. 

The young slugger had gotten off to a slow start last year in the pitcher-friendly confines of Single-A Brooklyn -- but after receiving a promotion to Double-A, he returned to his power-hitting form and finished the season on a high note.

He popped 18 homers, 21 doubles, and recorded a .359 on-base percentage in 99 games. 

After working on some things this offseason and being around some of the Mets’ top sluggers throughout big-league camp, Clifford is looking to add more consistency to his game this year in Binghamton. 

"If I can do my best to put the bat on the ball, good things happen," he said.

Defensively, the plan is for him to spend the majority of his time at first base for the first month of the season and then to get some reps in the outfield in an effort to continue increasing his versatility. 

Clifford played 60 of his 130 games in the outfield last season. 

Morabito ready for opportunity 

Nick Morabito is one of the newcomers for this Double-A squad.  

The second-round pick is making the leap up from Brooklyn after putting together a tremendous campaign in which he took home the Mets' Minor League Player of the Year award after leading the organization in batting average (.312), on-base percentage (.403), stolen bases (59), and hits (142).

The jump from Single-A to Double-A is usually a big one, but he feels ready for the promotion. 

“I’m very grateful for this opportunity to be here in Binghamton,” he said. “I’m ready for the opportunity and ready to take it on -- I'm going to embrace it, and I just want to be on the field as much as possible and allow my game to play itself.”

For those of you not familiar with his game -- SNY’s Joe DeMayo notes that Morabito has an above-average hit tool, above-average plate discipline, and is a plus athlete in center with tremendous speed. 

He only appeared in one spring training game because of a wrist issue but is 100 percent heading into the season.

Morabito is the 14th-ranked prospect in the organization according to DeMayo, and he could improve upon his floor of a fourth outfielder profile if he can become more of a gap-to-gap line drive hitter.

Webb shows off new pitch mix vs. Astros as Giants keep rolling originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

HOUSTON — It’s not unusual for a player to return to his locker after a game and find a baseball in a glass case. It’s the move for any milestone, from a first hit (which Christian Koss is chasing) to a 100th (Tyler Fitzgerald is one away). It’s a way to commemorate big homers, big wins or your 200th double, but the Giants are putting a twist on the tradition this season.

Logan Webb had a glass case in his locker after Tuesday’s 3-1 win, but if the Giants come out on top again on Wednesday, it won’t belong to him anymore. Willy Adames had one, too, but he might not be the owner for long, either.

The Giants are celebrating wins by choosing a Player of the Game and a Pitcher of the Game, and their names are written on the two baseballs by bench coach Ryan Christenson, who might have the best calligraphy in the game. The hope is that everyone is involved, and that the balls make their way around the clubhouse. 

Webb was disappointed by his performance in the opener last Thursday, but he looked like his old self Tuesday, and he smiled as he looked up at the baseball in his locker. In a win over the Houston Astros that clinched a winning road trip, Webb threw seven innings and showed his evolution as a pitcher. 

The face of the franchise has always been known for two things: Piling up innings and dominating hitters with a sinker-changeup combination down in the zone. But on Tuesday, Webb was a four-pitch guy, and he bordered on five pitches. He has full faith in his cutter, developed last season and sharpened this spring, and he’ll mix in the occasional four-seamer to give him a third fastball he can elevate. 

“I’m just trying to mix it up, I’m trying not to be a one-dimensional guy,” Webb said. “That fastball up, whether it’s the two-seam, four-seam or cutter, it can be kind of a game changer.”

Yordan Alvarez learned that the hard way in his first at-bat. The Astros superstar swung through a cutter that was up and outside, one of six strikeouts for Webb. In the seventh, with a runner on first and a two-run lead, Webb threw him a slider down and in. Alvarez again struck out.

The two strikeouts showed why Webb is so excited about his cutter in particular. He’s now comfortable elevating on some of the best hitters in the game, and once that’s in their head, he can attack every part of the strike zone. 

“It’s just a different look for me, and being able to do that and trying to mix things up to certain hitters that maybe I don’t match up the best with, I think those are situations where I can throw something like that,” Webb said. 

The previous version of Webb would have had his name on the Pitcher of the Game ball often. He’s been one of the game’s best since his breakout 2021 MLB season, but at the age of 28, he’s hoping to evolve. Hitters taught him some lessons last year. Now it’s time to return the favor. 

“You saw some of the takes and some of the swings — it’s different now,” manager Bob Melvin said. “Alvarez [got] a couple in, a cutter in, he’s never seen that one from him before. With the sweeper and changeup, it’s really a four-pitch mix and it’s both sides of the plate, which is going to make him better. He needed all that tonight.”

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Ahead of the Yankees opening a three-game series with the Arizona Diamondbacks on Tuesday night in The Bronx, manager Aaron Boone, in answering questions about the hot topic of the torpedo bats, discussed the level of organizational thought that went into the equipment change and discussed the signing reliever Adam Ottavino on a big league deal.

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Run (not so) silent, run deep

Over the last three days, the shape of lumber has become the main story of the new season.

“I’m kinda starting to smile at it a little more,” the manager of the team at the center of the new controversial but MLB-approved bats said.

“It’s taken on a life of its own. A lot of things that aren’t real,” he continued. “I really just look at it as the evolution of equipment, and I think I said the other day, I went and got fitted for golf clubs 10 years ago. This is essentially that. This is all within regulations.”

In keeping with the analogy of golf clubs to bats, Boone indicated that there is “a lot more to it” than just, say, selecting the “torpedo bat off the shelf over there, 34-32."

“Our guys are way more invested in it than that,” he added. “Really personalized, really work with our plays in creating this stuff. But it’s equipment evolving.”

Boone said it is “to each their own” when it comes to the club recommending a certain bat to a player, but he seemed to indicate that the organization is involved in working with the players on figuring out what bat would work best for them.

“We want to create an environment where we’re not missing anything, we’re not missing any chance to help a player become their best or optimize a player,” he said. “Ultimately, it's up to the players. How much information do you want? That’s on individual players and us to help educate. But, ultimately, it comes down to what works for you.”

While the league is now aware of the new bats, the manager "doesn't necessarily know that everyone 'knows about it,'" he said while adding air quotes around the final three words. When asked about the distinction, he seemed to imply that awareness of the torpedo bats is "different than knowing about it," he said while pointing for emphasis.

“I think there’s just a lot more that goes into it” than just deciding to use the torpedo bat, the manager added. “A lot went into doing that for our individual guys, and it’s a lot more than just the look of the bat.”

He added: “I think there’s a lot more to it. That even I don’t know all about it, I’m not smart enough to know all of that stuff, but I think there’s more to it.”

But with that being said, how much of an impact do the new bats have? The manager isn’t sure.

"Hopefully what doesn’t get lost in this: It's about the player. It’s about the hitter. It's about the person swinging it,” he said. “Understandably, I get it. It's getting a lot of attention right now. But yes, ultimately, when the dust settles here, it's about players performing.”

Boone stressed he doesn’t see this as giving any player a big advantage: “You’re trying to just, where you can on the margins, move the needle a little bit. And that’s really all you’re gonna do. It’s not like this is some sort of revelation… It’s not related to the weekend we had. I don’t think it’s that.”

He said for some players in some cases it “may help them incrementally.”

In discussing how the bats work, Boone wanted to dispel a notion, saying that it was “wrong to say we’re moving the sweet spot” with the torpedo bats.

“It’s no moving. Big leaguers don’t not hit the ball off the barrel. The worst of big leaguers they hit the ball off the barrel more than they [don’t],” he said. “You’re trying to just optimize the weight of the bat and take out wasted spots that you don’t use.”

Boone said he was aware Giancarlo Stanton and Jose Trevino were using torpedo bats last season. Stanton was asked if the new lumber was the "bat adjustments" he said earlier this year that may have contributed to his elbow injuries.

"You're not going to get the story you're looking for, so if that's what you guys want, that isn't going to happen,” the slugger said, via MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch. Stanton added that he will use a torpedo bat when he returns from the IL.

Ottavino has chance to stick

Reports of Ottavino throwing the ball much better during the end of spring training with the Boston Red Sox helped nudge the Yankees to sign the veteran reliever for a second stint with the club, the manager said.

“He’s kinda been on our board a little bit. I know the front office [has] been talking about him the last couple weeks as a potential,” Boone said. “Felt like what he was doing back-end of spring training was in-line with who Otto is.”

And with closer Devin Williams going on the paternity list, Boone said the club “felt like it an opportunity to get him in here and excited to have him back.”

Ottavino regained his form after back-to-back down seasons during his first year with the Mets in 2022, pitching to a 2.06 ERA and 0.975 WHIP over 65.2 innings. But the veteran saw his effectiveness decline over the following two years and his ERA climb to 4.34 and WHIP to 1.286 over 56 innings.

“I think he’s got a lot left in there,” Boone said. “He’s still been very effective, really, throughout his entire career.”

While the Yanks will have a decision to make on the roster when Williams returns, the skipper left the door open for the 39-year-old to stick around.

“We’ll see, we’ll see,” he said, before adding that his two seasons in The Bronx during 2019 and 2020 provide a level of familiarity.

“When we first got him, we brought him in to kinda be that righty killer, high-leverage, set-up [man,] and he delivered on that,” Boone said. “And, obviously, very familiar with what it takes to play here… and he’s played [with] the Mets and Boston. This [pressure environment] is what he knows.

“This is a chance to get a quality pitcher in here, and hopefully it can help us. And where it goes, we’ll see.”

Connor Rogers and Joe DeMayo check in with a new episode of The Mets Pod presented by Tri-State Cadillac, as the Mets have started the season and there’s actual baseball to discuss!

The guys cover the early returns from the starting rotation, the bullpen, and the lineup, plus also chat about what April holds in store for Francisco Lindor.

Connor and Joe then go Down on the Farm to look at the first outings of the year for top pitching prospects Blade Tidwell and Brandon Sproat, bring back The Scoreboard for more weekly bets in 2025, and open the Mailbag to answer questions about adding pitching at the trade deadline and the current depth in the outfield.

Be sure to subscribe to The Mets Pod at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

The Mets are going to be without their ace for a lot longer than initially expected.

Sean Manaea, who had recently resumed throwing and was working toward a return from an oblique injury, has been shut down.

"He experienced some discomfort a couple of days ago while he was starting to ramp up," manager Carlos Mendoza said on Tuesday. "We took an MRI of it again and it showed inflammation. So he got a PRP injection yesterday. So he's not throwing for two weeks now."

Because of the two-week no-throw, Manaea -- who had been expected to return around the end of April -- will likely not be back until toward the end of May or a bit later due to this setback.

Before this update, the latest news on Manaea came from president of baseball operations David Stearns, who said last Wednesday that Manaea's rehab was moving at a "really good clip."

In addition to Manaea, the Mets are without Frankie Montas, whose return could come in late May or early June.

Without two expected members of their starting staff, the Mets have abandoned their plan for a six-man rotation and are counting on two of their depth pitchers as regular rotation contributors in addition to the top three of Clay Holmes, David Peterson, and Kodai Senga.

Those depth starters are Tylor Megill and Griffin Canning, who each turned in a strong first regular season start.

Paul Blackburn, who was in the rotation competition during spring training and had been ticketed for the bullpen before getting hurt, is on the IL due to a knee issue.

The Mets don't currently have another legitimate starting pitching option on the 40-man roster.

Two possible rotation arms who could debut later this season are Brandon Sproat and Blade Tidwell, who are with Triple-A Syracuse. Sproat struggled in his season debut, while Tidwell excelled.

While one or both pitchers could help in the bigs at some point in 2025, it's hard to envision either of them being called up in the immediate future.

What we learned as Webb shines in Giants' win vs. Astros originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

BOX SCORE

HOUSTON — The 2024 Giants were remarkably allergic to anything but .500 baseball.

If they sunk too low, they always would find a way to go on a little run, no matter how many issues they had on the roster. If they started to creep too far above even, they would always go into a skid. They finished 80-82, never falling more than six games under or climbing more than three games over. 

The 2025 Giants already are three games over .500, tying last season’s high-water mark. Thanks to Logan Webb, Willy Adames and Heliot Ramos, they clinched a winning season-opening road trip, and they’ll try to get greedy on Wednesday. 

Webb turned in a vintage Webb game, striking out six and getting three double play grounders over seven innings. Adames and Ramos provided the offensive jolt as the Giants beat the Astros 3-1.

Adames yanked a two-run double into the left field corner in the third and Ramos found the Crawford Boxes an inning later for his third homer. Webb gave up his own short-porch blast to Jose Altuve, but that was it. He dialed it up in the seventh, striking out Astros three-four hitters Yordan Alvarez and Christian Walker with a runner at first. 

Extra! Extra! 

Anytime you join a list that previously only included Felipe Alou and Willie Mays, you’ve done something pretty cool. Ramos found himself with that company after hitting a 108-mph laser just over the wall in left, giving him an extra-base hit in five consecutive games to open the season. The last Giant to do that was Mays in 1971, and Alou holds the franchise record by beginning his season with six straight such games in 1963. 

Ramos now has three homers off right-handed pitchers this season, which is a quarter of the way to his total from last year, when he struggled against righties and posted a .673 OPS in the matchups. Through five games, the left fielder is slugging .810.

Welcome to the Show

Christian Koss was the biggest surprise on the Opening Day roster. He made an impression from the start of camp, and over time, the front office and coaching staff came to feel that his versatility, speed, good eye and attitude were the right fit, even if it required adding him to the 40-man roster. 

Bob Melvin was thrilled to deliver the news to Koss last Tuesday, but he had to wait a whole week to make his big league debut since he’s third on the depth chart when it comes to right-handed-hitting second basemen, and there were no obvious pinch-running situations in the first four games. Koss’ parents traveled to Cincinnati and had to return to Southern California to go to work Monday, but his wife and young daughter were at Daikin Park.

Koss drew a walk in his first big league plate appearance, showing that good eye. He fell behind 1-2 but worked the count full and took a fastball that was just off the plate. He then came around to score from first on Adames’ double. Koss didn’t have a hit the rest of the night, but he made an extremely quick turn on an inning-ending double play in the sixth. 

Waiting for Wade

The Giants came into the season pretty committed to having Jung Hoo Lee hit third and LaMonte Wade Jr. and Ramos lead off. While Ramos is off to a red-hot start, Wade might head home looking for his first hit of the season. The veteran is 0-for-16 with five strikeouts, three of which came Tuesday, and the Giants face lefty Framber Valdez on Wednesday. Wade, usually one of the best on-base guys in the game, is also still looking for his first walk.

Melvin sent Casey Schmitt up to hit for Wade with a runner on and one out in the seventh, which led to Schmitt playing first base for the first time in his career. The young infielder has been taking grounders on this trip to prepare for the possibility, and it’s something the Giants might have to do often while Jerar Encarnacion rehabs. 

With Encarnacion out and Wilmer Flores starting at DH just about every day, the bench is short on backup first base options. Koss, Tyler Fitzgerald and backup catcher Sam Huff have all done it in the past, but Schmitt is the best defender of the group and shouldn’t have too much of an adjustment period. 

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Holley: Crochet extension shows Red Sox are back to ‘big business' originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

The Boston Red Sox are back to spending big after years of operating like a small-market club.

First, the Craig Breslow-led front office made a statement by signing star third baseman Alex Bregman to a three-year, $120 million contract. Then, on Monday, they opened John Henry’s checkbook again, inking left-hander Garrett Crochet to a six-year, $170 million extension.

Boston acquired Crochet from the Chicago White Sox during the offseason in exchange for a package of prospects, including catcher Kyle Teel. The bold move was made to give the starting rotation a legitimate ace, something it has lacked in recent years. Now that Crochet is locked up long-term, the Red Sox will hope he lives up to the hype as a perennial Cy Young contender.

NBC Sports Boston’s Michael Holley is among those encouraged by the deal. He shared his instant reaction to the extension during Monday’s Boston Sports Tonight.

“I think it’s a great signing,” Holley said. “And it makes sense to me because when they acquired Crochet, there was conversation about, ‘Well, they brought him in, but they’re not gonna sign him.’ I was thinking, ‘OK, why not?’ He’s 25, you gave up one of your top prospects to acquire him, you’re the Boston Red Sox. It makes all the sense in the world. You think he’s an ace, go ahead and sign him to a contract.

“So now that they’ve signed him, there’s more evidence that the Red Sox are getting back to being the Red Sox team that you remember from 2017, 2018, 2019. They went out and they got Alex Bregman. They went out and they acquired Crochet. Now, they’re signing Crochet. Theo Epstein is back with the organization as a consultant but may be even more influential than your typical consultant. They are getting back to the big business Boston Red Sox, and that is my main takeaway from this deal.”

Michael Hurley joined Holley in praising the Red Sox’ move, noting that the risks that come with extending Crochet don’t outweigh the risk of letting him hit free agency.

“I guess if you want to be critical of this one, you might say, ‘There’s the risk, the injuries, he hasn’t done this, he hasn’t done that.'” Hurley said. “All true, but there’s an equal risk in just saying, ‘We don’t need to sign him now, we’ll try again in a couple years when he’s a free agent and he’s gonna be making 45, 50, 55 million dollars. This is actually in a lot of ways safer than that.”

Crochet established himself as one of the game’s most dominant pitchers in 2024, notching a 3.58 ERA with a 1.07 WHIP and 209 strikeouts in 146 innings. He started Boston’s 2025 season opener on Thursday, allowing two runs on five hits over five innings with four strikeouts in a 5-2 win.

Watch the full Boston Sports Tonight segment with Michael Holley and Michael Hurley below or on YouTube:

Five overreactions to Red Sox' first five games of 2025 originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

It’s a long season, but that won’t stop us from overreacting to the Boston Red Sox’ lackluster start to the campaign.

The 2025 Red Sox entered the year with lofty expectations but have stumbled out of the gate with a 1-4 record. After a promising 5-2 win over the Texas Rangers on Opening Day, they have since dropped four straight games.

There have been a few bright spots, such as top prospect Kristian Campbell, but Rafael Devers’ historic struggles and the offense’s inability to hit with runners in scoring position have dominated the early headlines. The question is: Are we overreacting to what we’ve seen over the first five games, or will these developments have a lasting impact on the remaining 157?

Here are the five biggest overreactions to Boston’s 1-4 start, and whether they hold any merit:

Time to panic about Rafael Devers

Rafael Devers’ at-bats have become appointment television for all the wrong reasons. To say the 28-year-old slugger has looked out of sorts at the plate would be a massive understatement.

Devers is 0-for-19 with 15 strikeouts over his first five games, arguably the worst start to a season in big-league history. While it’s reasonable to be concerned — especially with Devers begrudgingly moving from third base to designated hitter — it’s too early to hit the panic button.

It was a tumultuous offseason for Devers. He played in only five spring training games after voicing his displeasure about the DH role. He also battled nagging shoulder issues in 2024, though manager Alex Cora insists Devers’ shoulder is fine and isn’t the cause of his alarming dip in bat speed.

For now, we should chalk Devers’ struggles up to poor hitting mechanics that should improve with time. However, if the strikeouts continue to pile up when the Red Sox host the St. Louis Cardinals for their home opener on Friday, then it might be time to start worrying.

Verdict: Overreaction

Kristian Campbell is the real deal

Red Sox No. 2 prospect Kristian Campbell won the starting second baseman job and has looked the part over his first five MLB games. The 22-year-old is 6-for-16 with two doubles and his first career homer, which he belted against the Rangers on Saturday.

It’s a small sample size, but Campbell has fit right in both at the plate and in the field– whether at second base or in left. His meteoric rise through the minor-league ranks was no fluke. He belongs in the majors, and he’s proving it by being one of Boston’s most consistent players so far.

Verdict: Not an overreaction

Tanner Houck is regressing to the mean

Tanner Houck earned his first All-Star nod after a terrific start to 2024, but we’ve seen him crash back down to earth since. The right-hander’s disappointing second half carried into spring training and his first start of 2025.

Houck allowed four earned runs on seven hits and three walks while surrendering two homers in Friday’s loss to Texas. That followed a brutal final spring training start in which he allowed 10 earned runs on 12 hits in just 3.2 innings.

This isn’t to say Houck’s struggles will last all season, but it’s fair to temper expectations. He may not replicate his All-Star campaign and form a dominant 1-2 punch with ace Garrett Crochet. Instead, Walker Buehler, along with the currently injured Brayan Bello, Lucas Giolito, and Kutter Crawford, will need to step up for a rotation that may have been overhyped entering the year.

Verdict: Not an overreaction

This Red Sox offense can’t score runs…

The Red Sox have been abysmal with runners in scoring position. They are a putrid 9-for-55 (.164 batting average) with 23 strikeouts, a .505 OPS, and only one run scored in those situations.

While that’s disappointing, water will find its level. Boston finished ninth in runs scored and seventh in OPS with a less talented lineup in 2024. We have to assume Devers, Alex Bregman, Triston Casas, and other struggling key contributors will find their groove sooner rather than later.

Verdict: Overreaction

…But the bullpen is nails

The Red Sox bullpen was their weakness throughout 2024, but it’s been a bright spot amid the club’s 1-4 start to 2025. It didn’t allow an earned run before Monday’s loss, when it was forced to enter the game early due to Sean Newcomb’s rough Boston debut.

Garrett Whitlock (4.0 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 3 K), Aroldis Chapman (1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 1 K), Zack Kelly (2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 1 K), Greg Weissert (3.0 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 3 K, 1 BB), Brennan Bernardino (1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 0 K), and Justin Wilson (1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 1 K) have held up their end of the bargain. Last year’s breakout reliever Justin Slaten looked sharp up until Monday’s off day in Baltimore.

Boston’s bullpen should be better than last year’s, but let’s not get carried away just yet. We’re in for a roller-coaster of a year, especially with Chapman attempting to close out games with his concerning walk rate.

Verdict: Overreaction

Here are notes on the Mets' top prospects who are currently with Triple-A Syracuse...

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Blade Tidwell picks up where he left off

Tidwell opened eyes in spring training when he fired an immaculate inning on March 1.

During his first start of the season in Triple-A this past Friday, Tidwell fired 5.0 innings of one-hit, one-run ball while walking one and striking out five.

It was a struggle in Triple-A for Tidwell last season in what was his first taste at the level, as he posted a 5.93 ERA and 1.56 WHIP in 85.0 innings. Those difficulties followed what was a dominant showing earlier in the season for Double-A Binghamton, where Tidwell had a 2.41 ERA and 1.07 WHIP with 44 strikeouts in 37.1 innings.

If Tidwell is able to find his footing in Triple-A this season, he could emerge as an option for the big league rotation should a need arise.

The hard-throwing 23-year-old's eventual home could be the bullpen, as SNY contributor Joe DeMayo explained in his recent top 30 Mets prospects update, but there's also a chance Tidwell sticks in the rotation. And his first start this season was a good step.

Tough season debut for Brandon Sproat

Pitching in Worcester against Boston's Triple-A affiliate on a day where the temperature topped out around 40 degrees, Sproat struggled.

In 2.0 innings, Sproat was touched up for four runs. He gave up three hits, walked three, and struck out three.

Like Tidwell, it's likely that Sproat will make his big league debut at some point in 2025.

But the expectations are higher for Sproat, who is ranked as the No. 1 prospect on SNY's top 30 and is widely viewed as one of the best pitching prospects in baseball.

Drew Gilbert opens season on IL

Gilbert's 2024 season was disrupted due to a hamstring injury that limited him to 62 games.

He played 21 games in the Arizona Fall League in order to get more reps in, and he did well -- posting a .783 OPS in 21 games.

But Gilbert did not play in any spring training games during camp and has opened the year on Syracuse's 7-day IL, seemingly since he still needs more time to build up fully.

The Yankees are making a depth addition to their bullpen, adding Adam Ottavino on a big league deal.

Ottavino, who was released by the Red Sox last week after failing to make the team out of camp, was added to the active roster ahead of Tuesday night's series opener with the Arizona Diamondbacks.

He takes the roster spot of closer Devin Williams, who was placed on the paternity list.

To make room for Ottavino on the 40-man roster, the Yanks have transferred right-hander JT Brubaker to the 60-day IL.

The 39-year-old Ottavino is coming off a season in which he ultimately found himself in more of a mop-up role down the stretch -- pitching to a 4.34 ERA and 1.28 WHIP across 60 appearances.

He played Winter Ball this offseason with hopes of finding more success after working through some flaws in his mechanics and tinkering with his pitch mix, but was knocked around in five spring appearances with Boston.

Ottavino will now look to carve out a role back in the Bronx, where he posted a career-best 1.90 ERA back in 2019.

Brubaker is expected to miss significant time, as he is yet to begin a throwing program after suffering three broken ribs on his left side attempting to avoid a comebacker during a spring training game.