The Yankees are watching their bullpen options evaporate in real-time, standing frozen while their fiercest rivals aggressively snatch up the market’s best available arms.
After seeing the Mets poach both Devin Williams and Luke Weaver to build a “Frankenstein” bullpen of former Yankees, Brian Cashman just lost another premier target to a contender.
According to ESPN, breakout reliever Brad Keller has signed a two-year, $22 million deal with the Philadelphia Phillies, leaving the Yankees with one less proven option to stabilize a relief corps that is dangerously thin behind its closers.
The frustration in the Bronx is palpable because Keller was arguably the perfect fit for a team that desperately needs ground-ball specialists who can miss bats. The 30-year-old right-hander reinvented himself with the Chicago Cubs in 2025, posting a stellar 2.07 ERA over 68 appearances while striking out 75 batters in 69.2 innings. He didn’t just get lucky; he dominated, posting a 0.96 WHIP and proving he could handle high-leverage innings for a playoff contender.
The algorithm hides the best Yankees news; make sure you pin Empire Sports Media on Google News so you don’t miss a beat.
Elite Metrics That Scream “Missed Opportunity”
Missing out on Keller stings even more when you peel back the layers of his 2025 dominance. He wasn’t just getting outs; he was suffocating opposing hitters with a batted-ball profile that ranks among the best in the sport.
Keller ranked in the 99th percentile for hard-hit rate and the 95th percentile for ground ball percentage, a lethal combination that effectively neutralizes the home run ball. In Yankee Stadium, where fly balls go to die in the short porch, having a pitcher who keeps the ball on the ground 56.6% of the time is a luxury the Yankees let slip away.
His arsenal was equally impressive, headlined by a four-seam fastball that sat in the 88th percentile for velocity, averaging 97.1 mph. He paired that heat with a diverse mix of sliders, sweepers, and sinkers that kept hitters off balance, leading to a 93rd percentile ranking in both expected ERA (2.82) and expected batting average (.200).
The Phillies just bought themselves a reliever who limits damage better than almost anyone in the league, while the Yankees are left hoping their current group can stay healthy.
Looking Ahead: The Pressure Is Now on Bednar and Doval
With Keller off the board and the Mets stealing Luke Weaver to complete their stolen bullpen, the Yankees are placing an immense amount of pressure on David Bednar and Camilo Doval to carry the load. While both have All-Star pedigrees, relying on just two high-leverage arms is a dangerous game to play in October.
The market is thinning by the hour, and unless the Yankees blow up their budget to sign an impact free agent pitcher, they risk entering the season with a bullpen that looks great on paper but lacks the depth to survive the marathon.