The Yankees are ready to start spring training next month with one of the strongest bullpens in baseball thanks to a few significant and wise additions made this winter.
Purchasing an exceptional closer Luke Weaver can be moved into a set-up role by Devin Williams, giving the Yankees a potent one-two punch in the closing innings.
Fernando Cruz and Jonathan Lo isiga, two high ceiling relievers with swing-and-miss stuff, were also acquired by the Yankees.
This year, a variety of players, including Ian Hamilton, Mark Leiter Jr., and Jake Cousins, will return to fill the void left by the starting quarterback. A talented player like Clayton Beeter might also make a big impact out of the bullpen in 2025.
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However, there is one obvious weakness in that group of major league relievers.
There isn’t a left-hander on the Yankees.
Not one.
As of Monday morning, the only two southpaws on the team’s 40-man roster are starters Max Fried and Carlos Rodn.
The Yankees struggled to find lefties in the pen last season as well, but that problem was alleviated by the rise of sidearmer Tim Hill, who was acquired from the White Sox in the middle of the season and excelled in pinstripes. This summer, Hill, Lo Isiga, and Tommy Kahnle became free agents. He and Kahnle are still available and are attracting interest as tried-and-true products following successful campaigns.
There may still be plans for a reunion with Hill. Hill’s outstanding ability to keep the ball on the ground, his efficacy with an unconventional delivery, and his performance with the Yankees last season (2.05 ERA over 44 innings from mid-June through the end of the year) make him appealing to other teams as well. The New York Post claims that the Mets are among the other teams interested in the left-hander.
The Athletic and the New York Post have both lately linked the Yankees to veterans like Andrew Chafin and Brooks Raley.
Chafin, 34, is starting his 12th season in the major leagues. He just finished a successful season split between the Tigers and Rangers, pitching 56 1/3 innings with a 3.51 ERA. Over the past three seasons, Chafin has done a fantastic job of getting batters to chase, whiff, and put the ball in play softly, despite his lack of force and sometimes command concerns. His potential could be further unlocked by the Yankees’ pitching staff.
Raley, 36, won’t be ready for Opening Day because he had Tommy John surgery this past spring. According to The Athletic, teams have been asking about multi-year contracts with the free agent, who intends to start pitching in July of this year.In 2023, Raley made 66 appearances and recorded a career-best 2.80 ERA in his final full season with the Mets. Returning to another successful season with the Rays in 2022, his greatest strength is his ability to regularly create weak contact.
Tanner is closer. Scott was the finest left-handed reliever this offseason, but his signing with the Dodgers on Sunday made the rich richer. Scott would have been a fantastic addition to the Yankees—or any team, really—but he didn’t match the Yankees’ budget-conscious criteria. The reigning champions gave Scott $72 million spread over four years.
The Yankees can still explore Will Smith, Ryan Yarbrough, Jake Diekman, Colin Poche, and Danny Coulombe, among other veteran lefties still available on the market. As spring training approaches, the Yankees might find a deal, whether it’s a team with a surplus that would be a good fit for a trade or one of those veterans still looking for a new home.
In any case, don’t be shocked if the Yankees arrive to camp with a few potential reclamation projects. Over the past few years, they have specialized in getting the most out of pitchers who are desperate to improve their careers. It doesn’t get any more economical than that, after all.
You may contact Max Goodman at [email protected].
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