The New York Yankees have an issue at the backend of their bullpen, and the team could look to address it with a trade.
New York overhauled its bullpen at last year’s deadline by acquiring David Bednar and Camilo Doval among others, but those moves didn’t pan out as expected. Now, with the Yankees being a World Series contender again, New York will likely pursue bullpen help.
Although the trade deadline is months away, MLB analyst Devon Platana of SI urges the Yankees to acquire Riley O’Brien to potentially replace David Bednar.
“If the Yankees want to consider bringing in another closer to replace David Bednar, Riley O’Brien might be the perfect man for the job,” Platana wrote. “Yes, the Cardinals are exceeding expectations and could challenge for a National League playoff berth; however, they might also be open to selling off someone like O’Brien if it means striking while the iron is hot. …
“O’Brien is under team control through 2028, so the Yankees might have to part ways with one of their better prospects to land him. That would be a sacrifice worth making if O’Brien can have the same impact in New York as he did in St. Louis’s bullpen.”
O’Brien would be another high-leverage reliever for the Yankees, as with the Cardinals, he’s 3-2 with a 3.20 ERA and is 14-for-18 in save opportunities. Last season, however, O’Brien was dominant as he was 3-1 with a 2.06 ERA and went 6-for-9 in saves.
David Bednar Reflects on Early Season Struggles
The Yankees made a bold move to acquire Bednar at the deadline, but he has struggled at times this season.
Bednar’s struggles first began at the World Baseball Classic, and early in the year, he had some blown saves. Then, on May 17, he blew a game against the New York Mets, which he wasn’t happy about.
“I was trying to be a little more aggressive with that [pitch to Taylor]. It just didn’t end up where I wanted it to be,” Bednar said. “I’ve had a lot of success with that pitch. I trust my stuff, but overall it’s unacceptable, especially in that spot. It’s just very frustrating.”
Bednar is 1-3 with a 4.50 ERA in 24 games with the Yankees, while he’s 12-for-14 in save opportunities.
Yankees Expected to Pursue Bullpen Help
New York is one of the top teams in MLB, but their bullpen is a major issue.
Ahead of the trade deadline, Yankees insider Brendan Kuty of The Athletic named the bullpen as the team’s biggest need.
“At last year’s deadline, the Yankees brought in a trio of relief arms in Jake Bird, Camilo Doval and David Bednar,” Kuty wrote. “They may not need as much assistance in sheer quantity this time around, especially with internal options they may be considering. But one of the evaluators, when asked about the Yankees’ weak points, replied: ‘Lots of bullpen (help).'”
Luckily, relievers tend to be available every year before the deadline, so the Yankees will have a chance to bolster the unit.
The Yankees are 36-23 and are 1.5 games back of the Tampa Bay Rays for the top spot in the AL East.
Yankees Urged to Acquire 3.20 ERA Reliever to Replace David Bednar as Closer