Dontrelle Willis is playing for the Bridgeport Bluefish now - MLB

When last we checked in with Dontrelle Willis the former Rookie of the Year had been released by the Giants in April and was talking about potentially becoming a pitching coach.

Apparently nothing came of that, because now Jerry Crasnick of ESPN.com reports that Willis has signed with the Bridgeport Bluefish of the independent Atlantic League and will make his debut Friday night.

Willis is still just 32 years old, but he hasn’t pitched in the majors since 2011 and hasn’t been effective in the majors since way back in 2006. Since then he has a 5.65 ERA in 404 innings as a major leaguer, with some similarly ugly numbers in the minors of late.

I still wonder what might have happened if Willis had given up pitching in 2009 or so and focused on becoming a full-time hitter, like Rick Ankiel. At this point that ship has sailed too, unfortunately, but he’s a career .244 hitter with nine homers and a .665 OPS in 447 plate appearances.

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LOS ANGELES — Giancarlo Stanton, Josh Donaldson and Tommy Kahnle appear set to rejoin the New York Yankees ahead of their series opener against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

New York cleared three roster spots, saying that infielder-outfielders Oswaldo Cabrera and Franchy Cordero had been optioned to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre along with left-hander Matt Krook after a 1-0 loss at Seattle.

Stanton, Donaldson and Kahnle all played in a rehab game for Double-A Somerset. Stanton was hitless in three at-bats in his first appearance since injuring his left hamstring on April 15.

Donaldson went 1 for 4 in his fourth rehab game as he comes back from a strained right hamstring originally sustained on April 5.

Kahnle pitched one inning, giving up one run and one hit and walking two. He has been out since spring training with right biceps tendinitis.

Boone said he wasn’t concerned about Stanton potentially returning after playing in just one rehab game. He did say that Stanton likely will be a designated hitter for a couple of weeks after rejoining the Yankees.