Andy Pettitte to Return to Yankees in 2013

Image: Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports

Left hander Andy Pettitte has formally announced that he’ll pitch next season, but ESPN’s Buster Olney says that’s coming soon, as is the announcement of a new one-year contract with the New York Yankees. The contract, according to Jon Heyman and Joel Sherman is expected to be between $10-11 million for one year. Pettitte made just $2.5 million last season after retiring following the 2010 campaign.

Pettitte’s 2012 comeback season was interrupted by a broken ankle, but he has quite effective in his 12 regular season starts, pitching to a 2.87 ERA and striking out over eight batters per nine innings, his highest such rate since 2004.

With Pettitte back in the fold and Hiroki Kuroda already re-signed, Yankees GM Brain Cashman has been focused on keeping his club together for 2013, as opposed to adding piece from outside the organization. All indications are that Cashman will continue to work in that direction with closer Mariano Rivera next in line. Outfielder Ichiro Suzuki and catcher Russell Martin are also on Cashman’s to-do list and he’d like to get as much of his team in place as possible before the Winter Meetings begin next week.

Pettitte joins Kuroda and CC Sabathia to form as formidable a top three as any rotation in baseball.