The Yankees made a minor move on Wednesday according to Tyler Kepner of the New York Times, signing Russ Ortiz to a minor league contract.
Ortiz was released by the Astros last week after going 3-6 with a
5.57 ERA in 23 games (13 starts) this season. The 35-year-old veteran
of 11 seasons has a career record of 113-88 with a 4.48 ERA. The righty
has notched six seasons with 10 or more wins including 18 wins in 1999
with the Giants and a career-high 21 wins in 2003 with the Braves when
he went 21-7 and made his first and only All-Star appearance.
Since
that successful 2003 campaign, Ortiz has gone 25-45 with the Braves,
Diamondbacks, Orioles, Giants and Astros. Ortiz will remain in Triple-A
for the time being, a move made to boost the Yankees' pitching depth.
