Yankees agree to deal with ex-Mets reliever Justin Wilson, source says

TAMPA, Fla. — Just a few days before Yankees pitchers and catchers are scheduled to report for spring training, general manager Brian Cashman added to that mix.

The Yankees, still looking to add bullpen depth after shipping Adam Ottavino to the Red Sox in a cost-cutting move last month, brought back lefthanded reliever Justin Wilson on a one-year deal, a source confirmed. Wilson, 33, pitched in 74 games for the Yankees in 2015, going 5-0 with a 3.10 ERA and striking out 66 batters in 61 innings.

The financial arrangements were not immediately known. The deal, which will become official once Wilson passes a physical, includes player and club options for 2022, according to The Associated Press.

Wilson, whose fastball typically sits in the 95-mph range, has a 3.27 ERA in nine big-league seasons and has struck out 474 in 429 1/3 innings.

Wilson pitched the last two seasons for the Mets — who remained interested in retaining him until the very end — posting a 2.54 ERA in 45 appearances in 2019 and a 3.66 ERA in 23 games last year. He struck out 67 in 58 2/3 innings in that span.

Even with the subtraction of Ottavino — who struggled down the stretch last season but was dealt primarily to get his $9 million salary for 2021 off the books as managing general partner Hal Steinbrenner has designs on bringing the payroll in under the $210 million luxury tax threshold — Wilson joins a strong group of arms.

Closer Aroldis Chapman headlines a group that also includes lefthander Zack Britton, strikeout maven Chad Green and sidearmer Darren O’Day. The latter was signed shortly after Cashman traded Ottavino.

The Yankees initially acquired Wilson from the Pirates in November 2014 in exchange for backup catcher Francisco Cervelli. They traded him to the Tigers after the 2015 season for Green and Luis Cessa, also expected to be a Yankees bullpen piece this year.