
The New York Yankees are definitely in need of some bullpen help after losing both Devin Williams and Luke Weaver to free agency.
Yes, the Yankees swung a trade with the Colorado Rockies to acquire Angel Chivilli, but he has posted just a 6.18 ERA over 73 big-league appearances.
Chivilli has great stuff, so perhaps New York can turn him into a solid reliever, but even still, the Yanks could stand to add another arm.
On that note, former Los Angeles Dodgers right-hander Michael Kopech has been floated as a potential option, and it makes perfect sense.
Kopech made just 14 appearances in 2025, first missing time due to a shoulder issue and then seeing his season completely derailed as a result of a torn meniscus.
During his time on the mound last season, the 30-year-old logged a 2.45 ERA while allowing six his and registering 12 strikeouts over 11 innings. He also issued 13 walks.
But prior to Kopech's uneven 2025 campaign, there was a whole lot to like.
Michael Kopech. Credit: Denis Poroy-Imagn Images.He hits over 100 mph on his fastball, he has a nasty cutter and he makes batters miss.
The Dodgers initially acquired Kopech at the trade deadline in 2024, and that season, he pitched to the tune of a 3.46 ERA, surrendering 44 hits while racking up 88 punchouts across 67.2 frames.
That's the good Kopech.
The Longview, Tx. native has averaged an impressive 10 strikeouts per nine innings since entering the majors with the Chicago White Sox in 2018, although he has had issues with control, posting a lifetime 4.8 BB/9.
Regardless, the former top prospect could comprise a great bang-for-your-buck addition to a Yankees squad that is now monitoring its payroll with a fine-toothed comb after handing Cody Bellinger a lucrative five-year contract.
Plus, Kopech is absolutely one of the more intriguing bullpen arms available. There aren't many of them left, so New York should unquestionably be placing a call to Kopech to see if he could be had on the cheap.
And fun fact: Kopech is actually a former first-round pick of the Boston Red Sox, who traded him to the White Sox in the deal that sent Chris Sale to Beantown back in 2016.
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