Yankees Bullpen Performance Raises Questions

The current state of the Yankees bullpen is still a bit uncertain, at least for now.

After showing some potential, Jake Bird and Ryan Yarbrough struggled dramatically during the eighth inning against Miami last Sunday.

However, in a recent 5-3 victory over the Athletics, four relief pitchers, including Bird, managed to deliver four scoreless innings after Cam Schrittler pitched five.

Despite these small victories, concerns linger, particularly since many of these pitchers are in new roles.

Bird, along with Brent Headrick, Fernando Cruz, and David Bednar, helped steer the team clear of its first losing streak of the season.

“I hope they’re capable,” stated manager Aaron Boone when asked if the team had enough reliable relievers or if outside assistance was necessary.

He remarked, “I think they all did pretty well to some extent.”

Yet, Boone also admitted they’ve encountered “some tough games.”

This bullpen is clearly still developing, especially after losing Devin Williams and Luke Weaver to the Mets in the offseason.

“I feel we’re on the right track,” Boone expressed.

He noted that the process of assigning roles is ongoing, emphasizing the need for pitchers to “separate themselves and earn their positions.”

Questions remain about whether Camilo Doval can be a reliable setup man and whether Bednar can consistently close games effectively.

Bird and Headrick have yet to establish themselves in the majors.

During Tuesday’s game, the batters came alive for the Yankees after a quiet stretch, providing just enough runs to secure the win.

Although they silenced the A’s, it wasn’t a flawless performance.

Bird, who took the mound in the sixth inning instead of Schlitzer, allowed a leadoff single to Tyler Soderstrom before striking out Brent Rooker and getting Jacob Wilson to pop out, which perhaps wasn’t as high-pressure as his last outing.

Next, Boone brought in left-hander Headrick, who allowed a walk to Lawrence Butler but bounced back, striking out Max Muncy.

Headrick managed to get through the seventh inning after allowing a leadoff walk to former Met Jeff McNeil, thanks in part to two strikeouts and assistance from Cruz, who finished the inning.

In the top of the eighth, Cruz allowed a couple of walks and struck out Muncy, wrapping up the inning with two runners on base, limiting the Yankees’ lead to two runs.

Then, in a game-changing moment, the Yankees offense finally capitalized against the Athletics and former Yankees pitcher Mark Leiter Jr., scoring four runs in the bottom of the eighth inning. Amed Rosario’s three-run home run was particularly significant, setting up Bednar to close out the game.