The New York Yankees have made a pitching move after a rough stretch.
The New York Yankees' bullpen has been a major source of contention this season. David Bednar has labored in the closer role, Camilo Doval has been subpar and Jake Bird got shelled so much he was sent down to Triple-A.
After demoting Bird, the Yankees recalled right-hander Yerry De Los Santos on Tuesday. Then, with another roster slot open after designating Cade Winquest for assignment and sending him back to the St. Louis Cardinals, New York has now decided to bring up another reliever: Angel Chivilli.
The Yankees acquired Chivilli in an offseason trade with the Colorado Rockies, hoping he would help mitigate the loss of both Devin Williams and Luke Weaver.
It certainly didn't appear to be the case in Spring Training, as Chivilli pitched to the tune of a 12.38 ERA over nine appearances, allowing 11 runs on 11 hits — including three home runs.
However, the right-hander has been very impressive in the early going at Triple-A, tossing 8.1 scoreless innings while surrendering just two hits and registering nine strikeouts.
New York Yankees pitcher Angel Chivilli. Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images.Chivilli touches 100 mph with his four-seam fastball and has some nasty breaking stuff, so New York was banking on his upside when it made the trade, sending first baseman T.J. Rumfield to the Rockies in exchange for him.
Of course, Chivilli still needs to prove it on the major-league level.
The 23-year-old made his big-league debut with Colorado in 2024, logging a 4.83 ERA while giving up 31 hits and fanning 28 across 31.2 frames.
Then, last season, Chivilli's ERA ballooned to 7.06 through 43 relief appearances, and he posted an unsightly 1.688 WHIP.
The Yanks do have a history of finding hidden gems for their bullpen, so perhaps Chivilli will fall under that category.
Recently, though, the Yankees have whiffed on many of their bullpen additions.
Bednar pitched well for stretches last year, but he has been very shaky for the most part. The same goes for Doval, who ended 2025 on a positive note, but struggled mightily early on and has been infinitely hittable this season.
The less said about Bird, the better.
Hopefully, Chivilli can step up and provide the Yankees' bullpen with a much-needed boost.
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