The New York Yankees are pursuing players on different fronts and positions, but they need to do something about their shallow bullpen. It was already short on reliable arms before losing Clay Holmes, Tommy Kahnle, Jonathan Loaisiga, and Tim Hill to free agency.
The team needs a total reconstruction of that bullpen and they can’t give away huge contracts to every reliever they bring in. That’s why they should consider these three potentially low-cost solutions.
Cheap relievers for the Yankees to consider
Hoby Milner
Milner may not be the most consistent guy when it comes to ERA, but his FIP (Fielding Independent Pitching) has been between 3.14 and 3.22 in each of the last three years. He also boasts a career 3.82 ERA and is a cheap lefty: the Yankees definitely need a few of those.
Milner knows what it’s like to pitch in a contender and wouldn’t cost much more than $3 or $4 million, possibly even less. The Yankees should definitely inquire despite the fact he had a 4.73 ERA and was non-tendered by Milwaukee.
Kyle Finnegan
Maybe we are cheating a bit here because Finnegan should be able to get, at the very least, $5 or $6 million in the open market. We are not talking about a $100 million reliever or anything remotely close to that, though, so we’ll let it pass.
The former Nationals closer wound up with a 3.68 ERA and 38 saves in 63.2 frames this past season. He is the owner of a 3.56 career ERA and should be able to help the Yankees in middle relief or high-leverage work if given the chance. Given his vast closing experience, Finnegan should attract plenty of interest in the market, though. Finnegan had a lousy second half and that has to be considered, but the idea of him joining the Yankees is not crazy at all.
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Lucas Sims
Considering his long injury history and the fact he posted a 6.43 ERA during his stint with the Boston Red Sox after going there at the deadline (in 14 innings), there is no reason to think Sims will be expensive for the Yankees.
Before the struggles in Boston, he had a nice 3.57 ERA in Cincinnati and posted a 3.10 mark in 61 frames in 2023. There is a lot of talent on Sims’ right arm, and the Yankees are sweeper-slider specialists: he is the type of guy who should improve under pitching coach Matt Blake. Sims has some command and control issues, but his upside is considerable if he lands in the right situation.
