A Critical Concern for The Yankees Ahead of Trade Deadline
In the run-up to the imminent trade deadline, the Yankees are focusing on bolstering their bullpen, their most pressing issue this season. Despite some doubts concerning their second base and corners of their infield, their infielders, Gleyber Torres, DJ LeMahieu, and Ben Rice, have shown great promise in recent games. That said, the bullpen remains the Achilles heel of the team.
The Impact of Recent Struggles
The Yankees’ relievers have a disappointing ERA of 3.68 this season. It gets more worrying when you learn that this number has leapt to 4.35 since May and 5.10 since June. Currently, their bullpen ranks 25th in the majors with a 21.9 K%, showing a persistent difficulty in striking batters out. As a result of the poor performance, key bullpen names like Phil Bickford, Yoendrys Gómez, Victor González, and Clayton Andrews, have been frequently switched in and out.
The Current Lineup and Potentials
Among the current relievers are Clay Holmes, Luke Weaver, Tommy Kahnle, Caleb Ferguson, Michael Tonkin, Tim Hill, Jake Cousins, and Josh Maciejewski. Additionally, Ian Hamilton, Nick Burdi, and Scott Effross, are recoveries who have minor league options. Yankees Managers hope that Effross and Burdi’s possible return may help fill any gaps in the team.
Trade Plans
To solve the bullpen issues, the Yankees can’t merely rely on injured relievers recovering. They urgently need to make strategic trades. A viable candidate could be Tanner Scott from Marlins, who holds a 1.50 ERA and excels in closing. Another potential addition is Lucas Erceg from Oakland, with a 3.41 ERA and a fast ball in the 98th percentile. If brought in, Scott could replace Hill, and Erceg would take Ferguson’s spot.
Looking at Other Targets
Along with Scott and Erceg, the Yankees could explore options with White Sox’s Michael Kopech and John Brebbia, Angels’ Carlos Estévez and Luis García, Nationals’ Kyle Finnegan, and Marlins’ Andrew Nardi. Any of these could serve as invaluable assets to strengthen the bullpen.
Possible Contingency Plans
Even with aggressive plans, the Yankees can’t afford to overlook the injury factor. As relief pitchers, Burdi and Kahnle are risks due to their injury history. The team does, however, have several internal options like RHP Ian Hamilton, RHP Ron Marinaccio, and RHP Jack Neely if contingencies are required post-trade deadline.
Looking Ahead
The Yankees need to focus on transforming their bullpen for an improved performance. While Scott, Erceg, and the other potential targets present intriguing trade options, the team should also embrace its internal resources and injury returnees to meet the challenges ahead. The coming weeks will be crucial to shaping the future trajectory of the team. It remains to be seen how these planned modifications will impact the bullpen and the overall performance of the Yankees.