The New York Yankees are unraveling, and it’s not just about cold bats or slumping stars—this time, it’s the bullpen.
Following Friday’s loss to the New York Mets, the Yankees have now dropped five straight games, and the tone has shifted from concern to alarm.
Toronto’s sweep to start the week was damaging enough, but Friday’s defeat widened the AL East gap to two full games in favor of the Blue Jays.
While the offense has shown faint signs of life, the bullpen has completely fallen apart, crumbling under the weight of injuries and overuse.
Injuries to Jake Cousins, Fernando Cruz, and Yerry De Los Santos have stripped the bullpen of its depth and exposed its fragility.
Without those arms, the Yankees have leaned too heavily on a skeleton crew of relievers who are now visibly breaking down.
Across the last seven games, the numbers paint a nightmare: a 9.75 ERA, 17 walks to just 23 strikeouts, and a .302 batting average allowed.
Yankees Relievers Last 7 Games
W-L 0-5 (1-6 team record)
ERA 9.75
BB/K 17/23
BAA .302
OPS .919
HR/9 2.25It’s the first time in franchise history the bullpen has allowed 3+ runs in seven straight games
— New York Yankees Stats (@nyyankeesstats) July 4, 2025
Opposing hitters have teed off on Yankees relievers, slugging to the tune of a .919 OPS with a troubling 2.25 home runs per nine innings.
Unrecognizable and Unreliable Relief Arms
It’s not just the fringe guys getting lit up—Devin Williams, Luke Weaver, and Mark Leiter Jr. have all been part of the problem.
Weaver, returning from a hamstring strain, looks like a pitcher still searching for his rhythm—and hitters know it.
He’s allowed runs in each of his last three outings, and alarmingly, he’s also served up home runs in all of them.
Leiter Jr., who had been a steady middle-inning presence earlier in the season, has now been touched up in many recent appearances.
When your best arms can’t find the zone or keep the ball in the park, the late innings become a minefield.
Devin Williams, the marquee bullpen addition, has also faltered recently, unable to consistently slam the door late in games.
Command issues have haunted this group, with too many walks and too few swings and misses to stop the bleeding.
A Perfect Storm of Fatigue and Mismanagement
The Yankees are facing the consequences of both bad luck and questionable usage patterns, as Aaron Boone leans on tired arms.
With so many injuries, Boone’s options are limited, but the current approach—riding the same arms into the ground—is backfiring.
When you see a bullpen cough up three or more runs in seven straight games—for the first time in franchise history—it’s time to panic.
This stretch isn’t just a slump. It’s a symptom of something broken, a unit falling apart when the Yankees need it most.
Much like a dam with growing cracks, each game has revealed a new leak, and the flood of runs has finally broken through.
No Time Left to Wait for Help
The Yankees can’t afford to sit on their hands and hope for internal improvement. Reinforcements are no longer optional—they’re essential.
Whether it’s a trade, waiver pickup, or calling up someone with a pulse from Triple-A, the bullpen needs fresh arms immediately.
General manager Brian Cashman has often waited too long to make bullpen moves in the past. Doing so again could sink this season.
Because if the Yankees want to be serious playoff contenders, they need to stop turning every lead into a coin flip—or worse.
It’s not enough to score runs when your relievers are giving them back faster than you can tally them.
The Yankees’ window remains cracked open—but time is running out.
The Yankees have a choice: act decisively, or let their bullpen be the anchor that drags the entire ship down with it.
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