Ryan Yarbrough: Everything you need to know

Yarbrough tossed three scoreless innings against the Royals on Tuesday, allowing two hits and issuing one walk while registering a save. Cam Schlittler gave New York six innings of one-run ball, and the Yankees had built a 10-1 lead when Yarbrough entered in the seventh. The left-hander ended up closing out the contest, firing 29 of 44 pitches for strikes and keeping Kansas City out of the scoring column. Yarbrough notched his first save since picking up another three-inning save in September of last season. The veteran hurler doesn't figure to log many additional saves given his middle- and long-relief role.

Yarbrough pitched a perfect inning while striking out two batters in a 7-4 loss to Houston on Sunday. Yarbrough entered the game in the eighth inning, striking out both Christian Walker and Cam Smith en route to a scoreless inning. Prior to the series against Houston, the 34-year-old had struggled in his previous two appearances, allowing a combined five earned runs over 3.1 innings pitched. The left-hander has not seen much volume, only appearing in seven games through the first month of the season for New York.

Yarbrough allowed two hits and struck out two batters over three scoreless innings in a Grapefruit League game against Detroit on Sunday. Yarbrough made his second appearance of the spring for the Yankees, and this was his first outing with New York since returning from a stint with Team USA at the World Baseball Classic. The lefty made just one appearance during the tournament, allowing two runs over 2.1 innings against Team Italy. Yarbrough figures to open the regular season in long relief for the Yankees, and he's an option to make spot starts if any of the team's starters are sidelined, especially early in the campaign while Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodon work on rehabbing their elbow injuries.