The New York Yankees knew they were heading into the 2025 season with a few hurdles on the pitching front, but few expected the bullpen to be wobbling this early. Through just seven games, the relief unit has become a major concern — a leaky patch of the roster that’s putting more pressure on the lineup to put up crooked numbers every night.
Missing Key Arms Early
It’s not like this is the bullpen the Yankees planned to roll with. They’re still waiting on several crucial relievers to return from injury, including Jonathan Loáisiga, Jake Cousins, and Ian Hamilton.
Hamilton just began a rehab stint in Triple-A, and his return could be pivotal given his ability to generate whiffs and weak contact. But until those reinforcements arrive, manager Aaron Boone is left to juggle a group that hasn’t quite found its footing.
Critical Pieces Faltering
What’s most alarming is that it’s not just the fringe arms struggling — it’s a few of the most relied-upon options.
Mark Leiter Jr. is sporting an ugly 8.10 ERA, getting tagged with hard contact and struggling to locate his signature splitter. Tim Hill, a lefty specialist the Yankees were counting on, holds a 7.71 ERA, while Fernando Cruz, who came over in the Jose Trevino trade and dazzled with his splitter early, sits at 7.36.
That trio was supposed to help bridge the gap to Devin Williams — but instead, they’re digging holes that the Yankees’ offense is being asked to climb out of nearly every night.
Ryan Yarbrough’s Rough Start
Then there’s Ryan Yarbrough, whose early numbers are downright alarming. In limited work, the soft-throwing lefty has been shelled to the tune of a 21.60 ERA. The Yankees brought him in for his versatility — a long-relief arm who could also spot start — but so far, he’s been more of a liability than a solution.
He gave up a grand slam in his most recent appearance against Arizona, and with each outing, he looks further from the command-and-soft-contact pitcher the Yankees hoped he’d be.
Offensive Pressure Mounting
Because of these pitching woes, the offense has been forced into overdrive. The Yankees have scored more than enough to keep pace most nights, but relying on the bats to bail out poor bullpen performances isn’t a sustainable long-term strategy.
Eventually, the bats will cool off — and when that happens, the cracks in the bullpen could widen into chasms.
The Need for Reinforcements
The Yankees have traditionally prided themselves on having one of the deepest bullpens in the league, but right now they rank 22nd in bullpen ERA. That’s not just a blip — it’s a red flag.
Hamilton’s return will help. Loáisiga, when healthy, is one of the nastiest arms in the game. And Cousins offers swing-and-miss upside that’s desperately needed.
But until those arms are back, the Yankees are treading water in close games, crossing their fingers the offense can cover the gaps. The talent is there, but the margin for error has shrunk — and April’s only just begun.