Yankees sign Clemens

The Yankees, who have struggled in the early season with injuries to their starting pitchers, took a giant step toward shoring up the rotation by bringing Clemens back to the Bronx.

Clemens, an 11-time All-Star with a career mark of 348-178, pitched for the Yankees from 1999 to 2003 before announcing plans to retire. He later signed to play for his hometown

Houston Astros in 2004 and continued there in 2005 and 2006. The 44-year-old Clemens made 19 starts with Houston last season, posting a 7-6 record with a 2.30 ERA and 102 strikeouts in 113.1 innings pitched after joining them in mid-season.

New York, who began Sunday's action with a 14-15 record to trail American League East-leading Boston Red Sox (19-10) by five games, were believed to have won out over Boston and Houston in wooing Clemens to join them.

Clemens is expected to join the Yankees after a stint in the minor leagues to get himself ready to join the rotation.

The big righthander ranks eighth on the all-time major league list with his 348 wins, and his career winning percentage of .662 trails only Lefty Grove (.680) and Christy Mathewson (.665) among pitchers with at least 300 wins.

Clemens, with 4,604 career strikeouts, ranks second on baseball's all-time list behind Nolan Ryan (5,714).

He leads all active major league pitchers in wins, strikeouts, games started (690), innings pitched (4817.2), complete games (118) and shutouts (46).