Yankees Primed to Lose Most of Their Bullpen in Mass Exodus

After a bumpy start to the 2026 MLB campaign, the New York Yankees' bullpen actually ended up finishing with the second-best ERA in baseball.

That was thanks much in part to the triumvirate of Paul Blackburn, Brent Headrick and David Bednar. Fernando Cruz played a huge role, as well, but missed the last month of the season with a partially torn UCL.

The problem for the Yankees is that free agency could end up destroying their pen.

Blackburn and Bednar are both free agents. So are Ryan Yarbrough and Tim Hill. Throw in the fact that Cruz's status for 2027 is uncertain, and New York's bullpen is clearly in some trouble.

Hill isn't really a big deal. He was a home run machine down the stretch, and while he was terrific in 2024 and 2025, the Yankees won't miss him. The other three are a different story.

Blackburn has turned into one of the best middle relievers in baseball, having posted a 1.69 ERA during the regular season and tossing six shutout innings in the playoffs. Yarbrough wasn't quite that good, but his versatility and the fact that he is a lefty make him valuable.

Then, there is Bednar, who got off to a terrible start through mid-May, but then transformed himself into a shutdown closer.

It's not completely out of the realm of possibility that New York could lose each of those pitchers.

Bednar is the most obvious case considering that he might get a lucrative long-term offer from another team. With the righty having just turned 32 years old, the Yankees will understandably be reluctant to retain him.

Blackburn was outstanding in 2026, but he owns a lifetime 4.46 ERA over 10 big-league campaigns. Yes, much of that came as a starter, but can New York trust the soon-to-be-33-year-old to replicate his success, especially with such a low strikeout rate?

Yarbrough should come cheap, but you would be surprised how many other clubs out there would find him incredibly desirable.

It's worth noting that the Yankees have internal options for their bullpen next spring. Ryan Weathers, if he doesn't get dealt, will probably be transitioned into a reliever. Carlos Lagrange seems like a candidate to potentially make the roster out of Spring Training. And if Clarke Schmidt can ever stay healthy, he's a possibility, as well.

We know how New York operates these days. The Yanks no longer like to spend like gangbusters. They would prefer to be more efficient with their resources, relying on their player development cycle rather than paying big money to fill holes.

I could absolutely envision a scenario in which the Yankees allow all of Bednar, Blackburn and Yarbrough to walk while plugging those spots with arms already in the organization and cheaper alternatives on the market (whether that be via free agency or trade).