The Yankees are almost certainly going to add relievers over the offseason, and whether it’s through free agency or the trade market, I expect them to be active.
From star relievers with established track records to stuff monsters who just need to be in the right organization, the team tends to explore all avenues for improving their bullpen.
With both Devin Williams and Luke Weaver hitting free agency the team will need to make some serious improvements to the bullpen which underperformed expectations in 2025.
There’s lot of already-existing talent on the roster, and these five relievers are a combination of excellent players and value.
READ MORE: Yankees have 7 players hitting free agency opening up $60.35M
Yankees’ No. 5 RP Target: Hunter Harvey
Hunter Harvey has dealt with injuries over the last two seasons, but despite that he’s been an effective arm when healthy who can miss a ton of bats.
His 27% K% and 107 Stuff+ are indicators of being an excellent swing-and-miss weapon who can serve a middle-relief role for the Bronx Bombers.
The Yankees won’t be signing him to close games, but Harvey’s ability to throw a fastball, splitter, and slider makes him a reliever who can change looks and keep hitters off-balance.
Sporting a 96 MPH fastball with good vertical movement, this is the kind of profile that can give the Yankees more power in the backend of the bullpen.
I don’t expect him to cost much, and entering his age-31 season, the Yankees can still expect good velocity with effective movement from the right-hander moving forward.
Yankees’ No. 4 RP Target: Ryan Helsley
Ryan Helsley floundered with the New York Mets, but his stuff remained electric and the struggles seemed to be tied to pitch tipping issues.
The Yankees should trust their pitching infastructure to spend an offseason with Helsley and make the improvements necessary to get him back on track.
He’s second in Stuff+ (127) among qualified relievers and fifth in average four-seam velocity, the exact kind of pitcher whom the bullpen could use to overpower hitters.
There’s tons of value to be had if Helsley signs a pillow contract to re-enter free agency on a better note after the 2026 season, and the Yankees could put together an elite bullpen that shuts down games where they have a lead.
He’s a good fit for the backend of the bullpen and an awesome reclamation project target, which is the kind of reliever that the Yankees do a good job acquiring.
Yankees’ No. 3 RP Target: Garrett Cleavinger
Garrett Cleavinger isn’t a free agent, the Yankees would have to trade prospects to land him, but he could arguably be considered the best fit for the team.
He struck out over 33% of batters faced with a 2.35 ERA this past season, sitting around 97 MPH on his four-seamer and 96 MPH on his sinker.
The use of his sweeper and slider allow him to miss bats out of zone, having a good feel for spinning the ball to get both lefties and righties out reliably.
Cleavinger finished in the 97th Percentile Whiff% with an 84th Percentile xERA, and if he can be added to the backend of the bullpen, the team could have a new top left-hander in their bullpen.
With two more years of control, the Yankees wouldn’t have to trade top five prospects, but they would have to trade a pretty solid group of Minor Leaguers to convince the Rays to do it.
Yankees’ No. 2 RP Target: Robert Suarez
Robert Suarez is another power pitcher who could help the Yankees’ backend of the bullpen on a shorter-term deal with high AAV due to his age (34).
The right-hander sat nearly 99 MPH with good movement on his four-seamer, having a changeup and sinker on top of that, but he really relies on that power four-seamer to get outs.
Suarez struck out over 27% of batters faced with a sub-6% walk rate, limiting batters to a 0.78 HR/9 as he displayed an excellent ability to pound the zone with velocity.
Hitters had a .261 SLG% and 24% Whiff% against his four-seamer, but I believe the Yankees could make Suarez better by having him mix-in more changeups for swings-and-misses.
He’s going to cost some serious cash, but Suarez is a good backend reliever who could make a big improvmenet to their backend bullpen structure.
Yankees’ No. 1 RP Target: Devin Williams
Despite a poor season, Devin Williams is an excellent reliever who might end up producing the most value for any free agent reliever this winter.
Edwin Diaz is clearly the top pitcher if he opts out, but the Yankees won’t be shelling out the money he wants, whereas Williams could be willing to take a one-year deal.
The 4.79 ERA doesn’t tell the full story, Williams was in the 99th Percentile in Whiff% and the 97th Percentile in K%, making him an elite swing-and-miss arm for this bullpen.
His repertoire is simple, but it’s very effective, and the final weeks he spent with the Yankees are a sign that New York isn’t too big for him.
I doubt he returns and I think another team could easily lure him away, but Williams is the best reliever available whom I believe the Yankees have a chance to acquire.