The New York Yankees went all-in on bullpen reinforcements at the trade deadline, landing David Bednar, Camilo Doval, and Jake Bird.
While Bednar and Doval offer proven high-leverage stability, Bird’s debut with the Yankees couldn’t have gone much worse.
In just two innings, the 29-year-old right-hander has posted a staggering 27.00 ERA, unraveling games in catastrophic fashion.
The low point came in Monday’s extra-innings loss to the Texas Rangers when Bird surrendered a crushing walk-off three-run homer.
Josh Jung’s blast sealed a game that New York had controlled for most of the night, leaving the bullpen gutted and stunned.
The sequence followed a ninth-inning hiccup from Devin Williams, who gave up a game-tying solo shot to Joc Pederson.
For a team clinging to its playoff hopes, back-to-back late-game collapses felt like a gut punch that could linger.
Bird’s struggles highlight the jump from Colorado to New York
This isn’t the thin air of Coors Field anymore—pitching for the Yankees brings a different level of scrutiny and urgency.
Bird’s upside is clear, with strikeout stuff and a ground-ball-heavy arsenal, but command lapses have cost him immediately.
The Yankees can’t afford to experiment with pitch sequencing or mechanical tweaks while every game impacts postseason positioning.
Manager Aaron Boone and pitching coach Matt Blake now face a critical decision about whether Bird remains on the major-league roster.
A demotion may be the only solution
Given his disastrous start, a trip to Triple-A Scranton seems like the logical move for the struggling reliever.
Refining his pitch mix and regaining confidence away from the spotlight could help Bird rediscover his Colorado flashes.
The Yankees have internal options ready, including Ian Hamilton or Yerry De Los Santos, both of whom were optioned after the deadline.
Either pitcher could step in and provide more immediate reliability, especially as New York continues fighting for a Wild Card spot.
Bird’s demotion wouldn’t be an indictment of his talent—only a reflection of how little margin for error exists right now.
Yankees’ bullpen cannot afford more meltdowns
The team’s postseason hopes depend heavily on the revamped bullpen complementing an inconsistent rotation and injury-plagued lineup.
One more late-game implosion could be the difference between October baseball and a devastating early exit from contention.
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For Bird, the assignment is simple: regain control, sharpen the arsenal, and prove he belongs in high-leverage spots again.
Until then, the Yankees must prioritize arms they can trust, because patience is a luxury they simply cannot afford.
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