In the month-plus since the Yankees’ splashy trade deadline, in which GM Brian Cashman augmented the team’s bullpen with the additions of David Bednar, Camilo Doval, and Jake Bird, the unit has remained a talented but maddeningly inconsistent group. After a comically disastrous slate of debuts in which each of the trio allowed multiple runs in a 13-12 loss, the bullpen has reformed, with Bird ending up demoted down to Triple-A and the other two assuming more prominent roles.
As I do each month, I’m
going to take a look at the current state of the Yankees’ bullpen as they enter a critical stretch, identifying how manager Aaron Boone is deploying each member and offering a verdict as to how much trust the team can place in them down the stretch. All stats are accurate before Wednesday’s game.
The Closer
David Bednar
August stats: 13.1 IP, 2.70 ERA, 20 SO, 5 BB, 0.98 WHIP, 3 Saves (in 6 opportunities)
In the wake of Devin Williams’ umpteenth collapse of the season, Bednar has emerged as the Yankees’ closer in recent weeks. The results have been mixed — he only allowed runs in two of 11 August appearances but blew three of six save chances. In an up-and-down season for the two-time All-Star, it’s difficult to know how firmly entrenched Bednar is as their new ninth-inning man.
Confidence Level: Medium-High
His underlying numbers, including WHIP and strikeouts, have looked like the pitcher the Yankees thought they were getting when they swung a trade with the Pirates to add their then-closer in July. Between that and his strong track record, Bednar remains the right choice for the ninth. Still, the next few weeks will be crucial to demonstrating his ability to succeed in his new digs.
The Setup Men
Luke Weaver
August stats: 14.2 IP, 1.23 ERA, 20 SO, 4 BB, 0.82 WHIP
It’s difficult to tease out the Yankees’ bullpen hierarchy at the moment, as the team has had only one ninth-inning save opportunity since August 16th amidst a stretch of mostly blowouts. Without question, though, Weaver remains heavily entrenched in the set-up mix. In a season split between closing and set-up work, the 32-year-old has proven his 2024 breakout was no fluke, pitching to a career-high 157 ERA+ while allowing just 32 hits in 55.1 innings.
Confidence Level: High
Of everyone in the Yankees’ ‘pen, breathe the biggest sigh of relief when you see Weaver emerge. His consistency has been a salve to the tumult that has ailed the team’s relief corps all year. All signs point to the right-hander retaining a back-end role for the rest of the year — and, if Bednar struggles, it’s not out of the question that we could see the fan favorite assume closing duties for the stretch run once again.
Camilo Doval
August stats: 11.1 IP, 4.76 ERA, 13 SO, 8 BB, 1.77 WHIP
After an incredible run from 2022-2023 that saw Doval nail down the Giants’ closer role, he’s been more of a question mark. After a lost 2024, he got off to a strong start this year that signaled he was stabilizing in his age-27 season. But over his last 24 innings, split between the Giants and Yankees, he’s allowed 21 runs while walking an untenable 17. His ability to induce ground balls, which remains elite, doesn’t play when you give up that volume of free passes.
Confidence Level: Medium-Low
Doval’s start in New York has been rocky. At this point, it’s difficult to say if he’ll be used more in set-up work or middle relief until he can prove a propensity for getting big outs on a consistent basis.
Fernando Cruz
August stats: 4.1 IP, 0.00 ERA, 6 SO, 0 BB, 0.69 WHIP
After missing nearly two months during his second IL stint of the year, Cruz hasn’t skipped a beat, keeping opponents off the board in each of his four appearances since August 26th. It’s been a breakout campaign for the 35-year-old, whose strikeout rate is second to Mason Miller among all relievers with at least 35 innings pitched.
Confidence Level: Medium-High
The only caveat with Cruz is health. If he can stay on the field and continue carving up lineups with his splitter, he could end up as the Yankees’ secret weapon in October.
The Middle Relievers
Devin Williams
August stats: 11 IP, 4.91 ERA, 22 SO, 3 BB, 1.09 WHIP
Oof. Every time it seems Williams has turned a corner, he bottoms out once again. After allowing runs in five straight appearances, the two-time All-Star was yanked from the ninth inning yet again. Since that demotion, he’s looked much sharper, allowing just one earned run in his last nine appearances, punching out 20 while walking just one.
Confidence Level: Low
At this point in the season, it’s hard to put any stock in Williams’ recent success. His ability has never been in question. But he’s shown over a large enough sample an incapability to succeed in high-leverage spots. At this point in the season, let’s hope the veteran doesn’t get another chance to work his way back towards the ninth.
Tim Hill
August stats: 11.2 IP, 3.86 ERA, 8 SO, 3 BB, 1.46 WHIP
Another 2024 reclamation project whose success has transferred to this season, Hill has been sharp all year, using his excellent sinker to induce grounders on nearly two-thirds of batted balls. Predictably, the sidewinding southpaw has particularly neutralized left-handed batters, holding them to a miniscule .394 OPS (by comparison, Oswald Peraza had a .452 OPS as a Yankee this season).
Confidence Level: Medium-High
Despite struggling a bit of late — Hill has allowed baserunners in his last six appearances and runs in his last two — the 35-year-old remains a valuable asset, particularly against lefties. Look for Boone to continue seeking ways to line him up against left-handed lanes in opposing lineups late in games.
Mark Leiter Jr.
August stats: 8.1 IP, 3.24 ERA, 3 SO, 1 BB, 0.96 WHIP
After missing nearly a month to the IL, Leiter has returned strong, allowing three runs in 11 August appearances. Of concern, though is the 24-year-old’s strikeout rate, his calling card that was a primary reason the Yankees traded for him last season. Leiter struck out just one batter in his first nine outings since his return, indicating a reduced ability to fool batters that could come back to bite him (as evidenced by his 6.25 FIP in August).
Confidence Level: Medium-Low
Leiter has been a bit of a cipher this season, never getting enough run to determine if he can get outs in high-leverage spots. He’s been solid enough in medium- and low-leverage spots, but hasn’t done enough to make the case for a more prominent role.
The Long Reliever
Ryan Yarbrough
August stats: N/A
One of the most pleasant surprises of the Yankees’ season, the journeyman Yarbrough was a key cog in the team’s depleted rotation in May and June, going 3-1 while allowing more than two runs in just one of eight starts. He’s been on the shelf since June 18th, though, and was bounced to the bullpen upon his return.
Confidence Level: Medium-Low
Despite how sharp he looked earlier in the season, the veteran’s long layoff and spotty track record in recent years make it difficult to put much stock in him until he can demonstrate a return to form.
The Mop-Up Man
Paul Blackburn
August stats: 10.1 IP, 8.71 ERA, 5 SO, 3 BB, 1.36 WHIP
After missing most of the season with a knee injury, Blackburn quickly bottomed out across town, allowing 18 earned runs in 23.2 innings with the Mets before receiving his walking papers. He allowed seven runs in mop-up duty his first time out after being picked up by the Yankees, inspiring little confidence in a rapid turnaround.
Confidence Level: Nonexistent
The Yankees brought on Blackburn, who hasn’t pitched at a league-average level since his rookie season in 2017, to eat some innings. That’s exactly what he’ll do. It would take something drastic for the right-hander to work his way into the bullpen mix in earnest.
