The back end of the New York Yankees bullpen continues to be a significant weakness that must be addressed at the MLB trade deadline (Aug. 3).
The Yankees have had their fair share of struggles and inconsistencies from several late-inning arms such as David Bednar, Camilo Doval, Jake Bird and Mark Leiter Jr. Doval’s latest performance had him giving up a grand slam to Andrew Benintendi that led the Chicago White Sox to a 5-1 victory.
In wake of this bullpen hiccup, general manager Brian Cashman must take action. Targeting consistent late-inning power arms will help to stabilize the bullpen if they want to take things to the next level in the AL East.
Let’s explore three relievers on the trade market who would help to mend the late-inning bullpen concerns for the Yankees.
38-year-old Kenley Jansen would provide the Yankees with a veteran presence in the bullpen, and his postseason pedigree makes him a valuable asset on the market.
His 3-2 record, 2.20 ERA, 20 saves and 94 strikeouts across 59 playoff appearances would make him an asset to have for October baseball. He also ranks third all-time with 483 career saves under his belt, making him a reliable reliever to target.
Jansen also provides versatility as he could be used in the closer role or also placed in the seventh or eighth inning to help record significant outs.
32-year-old Kevin Ginkel would provide the Yankees with a cost-effective option ($2.75 million salary in 2026).
He also owns a 28.6% strikeout rate this season that sits in the 88th percentile while also holding a dominant 2.60 ERA. He’s also excelled with his secondary pitches (slider) that have held opponents to only a .136 batting average and 44.2% whiff rate.
Serving as a high-leverage reliever and setup man for the Diamondbacks in their 2023 World Series run, he held a dominant streak of 10 scoreless innings from Oct. 3 to 24.
As a hard-throwing reliever, Pete Fairbanks spent practically his whole career with the Tampa Bay Rays. Having him pitch in a division that he’s very familiar with would be a huge win for the Yankees.
His value has declined due to injuries and struggles with the Marlins, leading to a spiked 6.75 ERA this season. But acquiring Fairbanks would offer the Yankees with an AL East expert at a reasonable cost of $13 million.
But even despite his early-season struggles, he contains an electric arsenal with a high-velocity fastball (97.2 mph, 89th percentile) and a nasty slider that generates an impressive 57.1% whiff rate.
In a late-inning jam, Fairbanks would provide swing-and-miss dominance with his slider, while also taking pressure off the Yankees’ overworked bullpen.