Hideki Okajima Archives

So much for Okajima making the team as a Yankees lefty specialist in the pen.

Hideki Okajima doesn’t pass physical

By Wallace Matthews
ESPNNewYork.com

TAMPA — Left-handed relief pitcher Hideki Okajima has failed his physical and will not be in spring training with the New York Yankees.

The Yankees had signed the 28-year-old former Boston Red Sox reliever to a minor league contract in December and expected him to compete for a spot as a situational lefty out of the bullpen to complement Boone Logan, the only lefty reliever on the staff last year.

With the loss of Okajima, the Yankees now have only two left-handed relievers other than Logan in camp — 23-year-old Cesar Cabral, acquired in the Rule 5 draft, and Mike O’Connor, a 31-year-old who made nine appearance for the Mets in 2011 before being designated for assignment.

The Yankees did not provide information as to what injury caused Okajima to fail his physical and general manager Brian Cashman did not immediately return a call seeking comment. The news was first reported in a tweet by WFAN’s Sweeny Murti.

I wasn’t crazy about this signing in the first place, so I’m not exactly crushed.

…There wasn’t much going on in Yankeeville. Not for the entire holiday season. I’m still waiting for my front-of-the-rotation starter to show up, but in the meantime here’s a recap the “big” end-of-the-year stories:

1) Sweaty Freddy was re-signed.