Yankees Pitcher Jake Bird Reflects on Development Journey
When Jake Bird was traded from the Rockies last year, I was really curious about the Yankees’ ability to cultivate relief pitchers. One name that stood out to him was Luke Weaver, another right-handed pitcher who had revitalized his career after joining New York.
Bird remarked, “What Luke did was really impressive, especially going from struggling to being a regular in the playoffs and then continuing his success.” However, Bird’s time with Weaver as a teammate was short-lived, and his struggles led to him being sent down to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre shortly after he arrived.
“I was eager to learn from him, but our conversations didn’t last long,” Bird shared. Instead, he maximized his time at SWB, reconnecting with pitching coach Spencer Meddick, whom he had briefly met while at Driveline.
“Spencer is intelligent; he really knows his stuff. The Yankees organization excels at discovering talent,” Bird noted.
After his demotion, Bird’s mindset shifted quite a bit. “Initially, I thought I could just focus on my style,” he said. “But once I was down, it became crucial for me to work on what I needed to just to get back to where I was early last season.”
Apparently, his rough outings at SWB didn’t break his spirit. “You never want to struggle, no matter the situation,” Bird expressed. “But I recognized that they were assisting me in building on my strengths and addressing my weaknesses.”
So far this season, Bird seems to be having a strong showing. In a recent game against Miami, he entered with five strikeouts, allowing just one hit and no walks over 4 1/3 innings.
He explained, “They had insights into my pitching style at SWB, and I was able to articulate it from my perspective.” Although his past performances had raised some eyebrows, they were part of the reason the Yankees chose to acquire him.
“I think I’m beginning to pitch at the level they expected from me,” Bird said. Although he isn’t focused on expectations, he added, “I just want to find my best self. It wasn’t a bad start, but I definitely see room for improvement.”
