The Yankees have signed veteran right-hander Derek Lowe on Saturday. Lowe, who was cut by the Cleveland Indians Friday, cleared waivers which allowed for the Yanks to sign him. The signing comes shortly after the Yankees placed ace CC Sabathia on the 15-day disabled list with a sore left elbow.
Derek Lowe’s 2012 season can be seen as day and night. Lowe began the season with a sparkling 6-1 record and led the league with a 2.05 ERA in his first 8 starts and that’s the day. Then there is the night, where Lowe has gone 2-9 with an 8.28 ERA in his last 13 starts.
The Yanks bring in Lowe with the intension to start him off in the bullpen. The pen isn’t something new to Lowe having saved 85 Major League ball games for the Boston Red Sox from 1998 to 2001.
Lowe’s current strike-out rate of 3.10 is the lowest of his career and he hasn’t had an ERA under 4 since 2007 when he was with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
However, with all the Yankee arms on the DL, Sabathia, Pettite and Pineada, Lowe brings a veteran presence and more depth which the Yankees currently lack.
Lowe is a winner, he boast a career record of 174-156. He also is solid when October rolls around, he has a 5-7 record but has a more then a solid 3.21 ERA in the post-season.
