The trade deadline and its sellers are starting to take shape, and the Yankees are clear buyers in the American League as things stand.
While third base and the rotation are areas of need, you could feasibly argue that the bullpen is their biggest hole to solve in July.
With an ERA north of 4.00 and injuries that have eaten this unit alive, the Yankees will need to add some bullpen talent, but thankfully there are a bevy of elite-level arms who could be available.
Multiple star-level closers will be shopped at this year’s deadline, and while not all of them will be moved, the Yankees could find themselves as one of the teams adding a shiny new bullpen arm this summer.
All Signs Point to the Yankees Swinging Big In Their Bullpen
The Yankees’ bullpen is a disaster right now, they’ve been ravaged by injuries throughout the season and those losses have caught up to this unit.
Fernando Cruz, who you could argue had been the team’s most consistent reliever this season, is out with a high-grade oblique strain for the time being.
Mark Leiter Jr. had struggled as of late, but he’s still better than what they have in that group and is out with a knee issue at the moment.
The UCL tear that Jake Cousins suffered pulled him from a rehab assignment a few weeks ago, taking a potential reinforcement and ending their season in an instant.
Clayton Beeter hasn’t provided anything for the Yankees, and the shoulder injuries he’s suffered have seemingly taken a toll on his command for the foreseeable future.
Prospects such as Eric Reyzelman haven’t displayed the command to earn a promotion, and Harrison Cohen has just 10 appearances to his name at the Triple-A level.
It’s obvious that the bullpen is a hole, but this class of superstar closers could appeal to the Yankees because most provide control beyond the 2025 season.
Both Luke Weaver and Devin Williams will hit free agency this winter, and unless Brian Cashman plans on increasing their bullpen spending after years of avoiding big reliever contracts, it’s likely at least one will sign elsewhere.
Almost every star reliever that the Yankees will be connected to have control through the 2026 season, with some having control beyond that year as well.
This would appeal to Brian Cashman, who would have less pressure to re-sign either of the club’s top bullpen weapons to a big-money contract.
As for the talent available? These aren’t just good relievers, but rather a group that includes some of the very best relievers the sport has to offer.
David Bednar – Pittsburgh Pirates
2024 was a disaster for David Bednar, who saw his strikeout rate drop to 22.1% and his ERA climb to 5.78, as he struggled to limit damage contact and put too many runners on base.
He lost his closer job, but in 2025 Bednar has been one of the best relievers in the game, sporting a 2.53 ERA with a 34.6% strikeout rate on the season.
Sitting at 97.1 MPH with good vertical movement on his fastball, his heater is a strong pitch at the top of the zone that sets up his wicked splitter which has held batters to a .206 BA and .235 SLG%.
This splitter has a 39.3% Whiff Rate and has seen its usage rate increase from 24% to 34.2%, and the Yankees could supercharge their bullpen with his brilliance.
Emmanuel Clase – Cleveland Guardians
After a historic campaign where Emmanuel Clase held a 0.61 ERA, he collapsed in October especially against the Yankees, and this year he’s settled into being great instead of unbelievable.
With a 2.91 ERA, 22.7% K%, and 2.41 FIP, he fits the bill of a contact manager that has dominant stuff that results in easy-to-field grounders.
The .328 BABIP allowed this season is a career-best mark, and I believe it’ll come down in the second half, which is why picking up Clase this summer appeals to me.
He’s under control through 2026 (like David Bednar), and I’m pretty confident that he would be better if he never had to face the Yankees again.
Jhoan Duran – Minnesota Twins
Jhoan Duran has yet to allow a home run this season and has a 1.66 ERA, dominating due to strong strikeout rates and elite groundball rates.
His fastball still sits at 100 MPH while having one of the nastiest pitches on the planet with his 97 MPH splinker, and it’s why he’s been a dominant closer for years.
Duran has the highest GB% in the sport and the Twins could look to cash-in and deal him to a contender, getting a haul in return since he’s under control for two more years after 2025.
A bullpen with Luke Weaver, Devin Williams, and Jhoan Duran would be unstoppable, and Brian Cashman has been eyeing Duran for years now.
Mason Miller – Athletics
This is unlikely, but what if the Athletics seriously considered shopping Mason Miller at this year’s trade deadline?
He would arguably become the hottest commodity on the market, and while the Yankees likely wouldn’t outbid other teams due to a weaker farm system than squads like Boston or Los Angeles, they’d definitely call.
His 4.04 ERA is a mirage, the numbers suggest he’s an elite closer still, and with a 101 MPH fastball there aren’t many teams who would be able to score off of him.
Miller has control for 4.5 years, and the price for him might include both George Lombard Jr. and Cam Schlittler alongside other top 10 prospects or controllable MLB pieces.
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