After getting to the World Series in 2024, the Yankees have built a team capable of getting back this season, but will the bullpen's failure stand in their way?
After getting to the World Series in 2024, the New York Yankees felt good about their ability to get back there again in 2025, especially after acquiring superstar reliever Devin Williams in an offseason trade from the Milwaukee Brewers.
New York Yankees relief pitcher Devin Williams (38) delivers a pitch during the eighth inning against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park. Paul Rutherford-Imagn ImagesHowever, after losing Gerrit Cole to a season-ending injury in spring training, and after losing Giancarlo Stanton, Clarke Schmidt and Luis Gil for large portions of the year, it would have been understandable if New York slipped somewhat out of contention, but here we are, with the Yankees currently sitting in the top wild card position and in position to host a wild card series at Yankee Stadium.
With a mediocre American League around them, and a powerful offense that has hit the most home runs in baseball, the Yankees not only can get back to the World Series - they can win it - but the question is, will their bullpen allow it?
After getting Williams, and then acquiring Jake Bird and Camillo Doval at the trade deadline, the Yankees were supposed to have built the 'bullpen of death,' but it just hasn't happened.
As noted by Thomas Nestico, the Yankees have a 4.53 bullpen ERA, which is the lowest of any team currently in playoff position.
Devin Williams
He's appeared in 60 games, and still has great strikeout numbers (80 in 55.0 innings), but he's walked 24 and owns an ERA of 5.40. He's been worth negative WAR (-0.7) according to Baseball Reference.
Luke Weaver
He's appeared in 56 games this season and has been good, with his 3.26 ERA serving as the best of the Yankees' leverage relievers, but it's not the 2.89 he had a year ago. He's struck out 64 in 58.0 innings. He's surrendered 10 home runs.
Yankees reliever Luke Weaver. John Jones-Imagn ImagesMark Leiter Jr.
Another one who has appeared in a lot of games (55), he has an ERA of 5.32.
Fernando Cruz
He's got electric stuff, striking out 68 batters in just 41.2 innings, but he also has an ERA of 3.89. He's walked 19 in that team, meaning he walks one better every two innings essentially.
The others
Doval has an ERA of 6.59 and is in danger of not making the playoff roster, while Bird was quickly sent to Triple-A.
Conclusion
Yankees relievers strike out a ton of batters, but they also walk a good deal as well. The potential is there to get out of bad situations, but they may also put themselves in some bad situations. If the train comes off the tracks for New York in October, we likely know what caused it to derail.