Late on Wednesday, it was reported that the New York Yankees had reached an agreement with relief pitcher Jonathan Loaisiga on a one-year deal with a club option for the 2026 campaign. The right-hander should be ready to contribute at some point in April, and as his 3.44 career ERA suggests, he is very good when healthy.
The Yankees still need more bullpen talent
The Yankees, however, need much more. Yes, they brought back Luke Weaver a few weeks ago and that was a very solid start, but the bullpen wasn’t really that deep in 2024 and it showed in the World Series.
Yankees insider Max Goodman offered a look at the current bullpen options, considering the departures (Tim Hill and Tommy Kahnle are still in the market and Clay Holmes joined the New York Mets to start) and the additions to this point.
Per Goodman, the Yankees currently have Weaver, Loaisiga, Ian Hamilton, Mark Leiter Jr., Jake Cousins, Scott Effross and Clayton Beeter. Ideally, there would need to be a high-profile addition in the Devin Williams, Jeff Hoffman, or Tanner Scott mold, just to name three prime examples, and at least a couple more arms.
The Yankees could use some swing-and-miss in their relief corps
The Yankees need some swing and miss in their bullpen if they want to navigate tough lineups such as the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Mets, the Philadelphia Phillies, and some of the emerging powerhouses in the American League.
Goodman offers more insight: “Expect the Yankees to continue to address this group, whether it’s via trade, FA, or the hidden gem route with non-roster invitees, a specialty in recent years.” There is a very good chance the Yankees bring back Kahnle and Hill, but it’s definitely not set in stone.
Cousins and Hamilton didn’t reach the postseason in peak form, but they are good enough to be counted on in high-leverage instances if fully healthy and in a groove. Leiter was on the verge of losing his roster spot, but did get some important outs in October and does have swing-and-miss stuff.
Beeter is a complete wild card, but was excellent as a reliever this past season in Triple-A and could be a breakout candidate if he can consistently throw strikes. It remains to be seen if Effross’ stuff can rebound because it wasn’t where the Yankees wanted it to be this past season.
With a lot of work in player development, a couple of solid signings, or a trade, the Yankees can enter the 2024 campaign with a solid bullpen. All they need is some money and a lot of creativity.
