Yankees hoping to turn bullpen bust into a diamond in the rough

MLB: Los Angeles Angels at Kansas City Royals, roansy contreras, yankees
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The Yankees quietly made a series of bullpen moves on Thursday, one of which included bringing back a familiar face in Roansy Contreras. Originally a Yankees prospect, Contreras was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2018 as part of the package for Jameson Taillon. He spent three and a half years in Pittsburgh before landing with the Los Angeles Angels last season.

Contreras, now 25, is coming off a shaky 2024 campaign in which he pitched 68.1 innings, posting a 4.35 ERA and a 4.94 xERA, suggesting that his results may have even flattered him a bit. He averaged 7.38 strikeouts per nine innings and 4.08 walks per nine while giving up 1.45 home runs per nine innings. Those numbers hardly scream “shut-down reliever,” but the Yankees have often thrived by finding hidden gems and refining raw talent.

MLB: Los Angeles Angels at Texas Rangers
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A Deep Arsenal With Room for Refinement

One of Contreras’s most intriguing attributes is his six-pitch repertoire, which includes a four-seam fastball, slider, change-up, sinker, curveball, and sweeper. While variety can be a strength, it can also be a curse without proper command, and Contreras has struggled to consistently locate his pitches.

The slider is his most effective weapon, graded as above-average (via Stuff+), but the rest of his arsenal has significant issues. His fastball, which averages 94.7 mph, has been inconsistent, while opposing hitters feasted on his sinker last season. His change-up also left much to be desired, and his spotty command often allowed batters to exploit his mistakes.

Despite these challenges, Contreras has upside. His youth and team-friendly cost—he’s not a free agent until 2029—make him an intriguing project for Yankees pitching coach Matt Blake, who has developed a reputation for unlocking potential in struggling arms.

MLB: New York Mets at Los Angeles Angels
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A Job for Matt Blake

If there’s anyone who can help Contreras tap into his potential, it’s Matt Blake. The Yankees pitching coach has successfully revitalized multiple pitchers by refining their mechanics and pitch usage. For Contreras, the key will likely be simplifying his arsenal and improving his command.

Blake might focus on emphasizing Contreras’s slider while finding ways to make his fastball more effective. Cleaning up his mechanics could help address his control issues, which have been a major hurdle to his success. While Contreras’s underlying metrics don’t paint a rosy picture, they also leave room for optimism if the Yankees can make some fundamental adjustments.

A Low-Risk, High-Upside Play

Contreras is not a guaranteed success story, but at just 25 years old, he still has time to turn things around. His struggles over the past few seasons make him a reclamation project, but the Yankees have often thrived in this role. With their bullpen already boasting several reliable arms, Contreras represents a low-risk, high-upside addition who could quietly become a valuable piece if everything clicks.

For now, the Yankees will give Contreras the tools to succeed and hope he rewards them for taking the chance. Sometimes, all it takes is the right environment, the right coaching, and a little patience.

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