Yankees Bullpen Changes as Offseason Winds Down
As the offseason draws to a close, the Yankees have primarily seen departures from their bullpen rather than arrivals. Two former closers, Devin Williams and Luke Weaver, have moved to Queens, along with several other relievers who were non-tendered.
While letting some of these players go might be viewed as improvement, the team still needs to find someone to fill those crucial late-inning roles. They haven’t added any standout options yet, so it seems like they’ll be relying on their pitching department to work a bit of magic again.
The Yankees are confident that they made significant strides last summer when they brought in David Bednar, Camilo Doval, and Jake Byrd— all under contract through 2025. They also exercised Tim Hill’s club option, re-signed pitchers Ryan Yarbrough and Paul Blackburn, and picked up Cade Winquest in the Rule 5 draft. Recently, they added hard-throwing righty Angel Chivili from the Rockies.
Fernando Cruz remains a key figure after his impressive season, with mentions of left fielder Brent Headrick—who has been discussed as a potential starter—and Yerry de los Santos also in the mix for bullpen roles.
General manager Brian Cashman acknowledged the changes, stating, “Our bullpen is definitely different than last year because we have some guys out. But we also have some young pups that are pushing up the ladder. There may be talented players coming out of our system or we may have some imports like Chivili.” He encouraged fans to stay optimistic.
Most of the promising young pitchers currently are starters, but players like Carlos LaGrange, viewed as a long-term reliever, could find their way to a bullpen role sooner if needed. The Triple-A level is stocked with relievers who may step up in the future, including Carvin Castro, Erik Raiselman, and Harrison Cohen.
Still, this situation is uncertain. Even top relief pitchers can be unpredictable. Bednar, despite his success in the Yankees’ playoff chase, faced a demotion to Triple-A by the Pirates that same season. The team would benefit from having one or two more reliable arms to support manager Aaron Boone during late-game situations.
The Yankees didn’t manage to snag many high-profile free-agent relievers, as funds were allocated toward Cody Bellinger. However, they’ve had better luck in recent years with impactful relievers acquired through trades.
Cashman mentioned that the team will keep evaluating all options. “I think we have a lot of quality choices to rely on if we don’t make any additional moves. The goal is to improve the roster as much as possible, and we’ll keep focusing on that,” he said.
There’s a possibility of reinforcements coming from the rotation if Carlos Rodon, Gerrit Cole, and eventually Clark Schmidt get back to full health. Yet for now, there seems to be considerable faith in the pitching department to help get Byrd on track, assist Blackburn’s transition to relief, utilize Chivili’s strong arm, and develop rookie Winquest and others.
Another challenge for the bullpen in 2026 is the limited flexibility. With Bird, Chivili, Headrick, Doval, and Cruz being the only minor league options left, using Doval or Cruz could create more complications than benefits. Plus, Winquest would need to stay on the major league roster all season to remain with the organization, making it a tough year for teams competing for the last bullpen spots.
