The Yankees‘ bullpen has been solid over the past few weeks, but they recently lost red-hot relief pitcher Jake Cousins to a pectoral tightness injury. The Yankees placed Cousins on the 15-day injured list this past weekend, but there is good news—he’s progressing nicely and could potentially return for the ALDS. Currently, Cousins has resumed playing catch and is quickly moving through his rehab steps, via Bryan Hoch of MLB.com.
Cousins’ Impressive Season with the Yankees
The Yankees acquired Cousins this past offseason after he spent the first three years of his career with the Milwaukee Brewers.
Before joining New York, Cousins had never thrown more than 30 innings in a season, but this year, he’s already logged 38 innings with the Yankees, showcasing his value. He’s posted an impressive 2.37 ERA, with 12.55 strikeouts per nine innings, an 81.6% left-on-base rate, and a 42.1% ground ball rate. His ability to keep runners stranded and generate grounders has been a key asset to the Yankees’ bullpen.
Room for Improvement: Reducing Walks
While Cousins has been outstanding in many areas, one of the main challenges he faces is his control. Currently, he’s allowing 4.74 walks per nine innings. If he can reduce his walk rate, Cousins has the potential to become one of the most dangerous long-term bullpen weapons for the Yankees. With the 30-year-old under team control until 2029, he represents an incredibly affordable and valuable option for the team moving forward.
Cousins’ Nasty Slider and Effective Sinker
Cousins ranks among the best pitchers in the league this season in terms of chase rate and whiff rate, highlighting his ability to fool hitters. His success comes largely from his devastating slider and effective sinker. His slider, which averages just 82.1 mph, has generated a .141 batting average and a .272 slugging rate. What makes it so effective is its incredible movement—6.6 inches of extra horizontal break and 8.6 inches more induced movement than the average slider. The pitch has the look of a frisbee, darting out of the strike zone just as hitters are ready to swing.
Cousins also mixes in a 95.1 mph sinker that has been equally impressive. This pitch holds opposing hitters to a .162 batting average and a .270 slugging rate, with 3 inches of additional horizontal break compared to the average sinker. His ability to combine these two pitches makes him a difficult reliever for opponents to handle.
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A Key Piece for the Playoffs
Getting Cousins back for the playoffs would be a huge bonus for the Yankees. His ability to handle high-leverage situations and serve as a reliable setup man for closers like Clay Holmes and Luke Weaver could significantly boost the bullpen’s strength. Cousins’ dominance with his slider and sinker combination gives the Yankees another dangerous weapon to lean on in the late innings, which could prove pivotal in tight postseason games.