Yankees Turn to New Bullpen Addition Amid Challenges
This season, the Yankees have faced challenges in their bullpen, which has seen a mix of performances and lacked key upgrades at the trade deadline. However, they did find some promising talent in a reliever from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
Yerry de los Santos has appeared in six games, boasting an impressive 1.00 ERA. Meanwhile, Carvin Castro delivered a solid 1.42 ERA across five games, and Angel Civilli had a remarkable 0.57 ERA before struggling in his last outing and being sent down.
Now, they’ve called up Bradley Hananer, stepping in for Castro who was placed on injured reserve. Hananer, 27, is making his debut in the majors after being drafted in the 21st round back in 2019, which is somewhat of a distant memory now.
In an age where many pitchers are focused on velocity, Hannah instead utilizes varied arm angles to work his sinkers, cutters, and sweepers, along with a four-seamer that averaged 93.7 mph in his last minor league appearance.
His time on the roster might be short-lived, especially if Castro comes back soon, but, as Coach Aaron Boone mentioned, Hanner has been on his radar for more than a month. It’s a chance for Hanner to experience “everything I’ve dreamed of,” and he’s trying not to project too much into the future.
“Just because a player doesn’t light up the radar gun doesn’t mean he lacks good stuff… There are many factors that contribute to a player’s effectiveness,” Boone commented prior to the Yankees’ 10-5 victory over the Mariners.
But Hanner’s untested status also reflects the risk taken by the Yankees during the trade deadline, where they made no additions to their bullpen and lost Camilo Doval in a deal.
The team is hoping that starters Carlos Rodon and Clark Schmidt will regain health to allow some of the current rotation members to shift to the bullpen. Yet, managing health is tricky and doesn’t always play out as planned.
Hanner’s career has developed slowly, having transitioned from the Twins to the Guardians, and finally signing a minor league deal with the Yankees last winter. An opt-out clause was activated on July 15, leading to the Yankees adding him to the 40-man roster—this gave him a renewed chance to compete for a major league spot.
During his time at Triple-A, Hanner played in 40 games with a notable 2.10 ERA. He recognizes the importance of being strategic and gaining the upper hand in counts rather than solely relying on strength.
“Bello is king now,” he remarked, “but throwing strikes is also king.”
Boone stated they are looking to leverage Hanner against right-handed hitters, who are only hitting .167 against him in Triple-A this season.
As August progresses and with just over 40 games left in the regular season, Hanner is currently claiming one of the few spots available in the bullpen.
“[Fernando] Cruz told me, ‘You only make your debut once.’ Just take it all in and enjoy it… I want to help this team win, and what happens will happen,” Hanner shared, reflecting on this pivotal moment.
