The Yankees’ bullpen has seen a lot of turnover this offseason. Devin Williams again Luke Weaver left in free agency, both later signed with the Mets. The club was not awarded a tender Jake Cousins, Scott Effross, Mark Leiter Jr.again Ian Hamilton. Jonathan Loaisiga he saw his club option rejected, when Allan Winans he was released to pursue an opportunity in Japan.
The group chose the left option Tim Hill and re-sign Ryan Yarbrough again Paul Blackburn like deep pieces. Still, the bullpen looks thinner than last year in the backfield Fernando Cruz, Camilo Dovaland close David Bednar. What options do the Yankees have in the lineup right now? Let’s look at the possibilities.
Jake Bird
Along with Bednar and Doval, Bird was one of three key acquisitions for the Yankees at the 2025 trade deadline. Unfortunately, he was the least productive of the three. Bird made three appearances in early August, allowing six earned runs on four hits, two home runs, and two walks in just two innings. On August 5, New York optioned him to Triple-A, where he remained for the rest of the season.
Bird has pitched 232 1/3 big league innings with a 4.76 ERA since his start in 2022. He carries a career rate of 21.1% and a walk rate of 9.8%, although he has raised his strikeout rate to an above-average 26.6% in 55 1/3 innings over 20 innings. A 70 percent groundball rate that can play with solid infield defense from Ryan McMahon, Jazz Chisholm Jr.again Anthony Volpe (if he regains his Glove-caliber defense following shoulder surgery). Bird also has a plus sweeper and curveball according to Statcast, though he will need to improve his sinker (-6 run value) if he plans to compete in the middle to upper innings.
Brent Headrick
The Yankees said Headrick was waived by the Twins in February 2025. He bounced between Triple-A and the majors, pitching 23 big league innings in 17 games before spending the year on the injured list with a left arm sprain. The results were effective. Headrick posted a 3.13 ERA with similar peripherals and struck out 32.6% of batters against a 7.6% walk rate. That said, despite being a left-handed pitcher, he showed excellent platoon separation in 2025, allowing a .922 OPS with four home runs to left-handed hitters compared to a .484 OPS against righties.
Headrick is primarily a fastball-slider pitcher. His fastball has slightly below-average velocity, and he has allowed a 50.0% strikeout rate against the field in 2025. His slider can be a useful pitch, as he has struck out 44.4% of hitters in a limited sample this year. Right now, with Yarbrough considering starting the year in the rotation, Headrick is the only one left in the bullpen besides Hill. That said, he could be best used as a deep arm given his heavy numbers and struggles against one-handed pitching.
Cade Winquest
The Yankees selected Winquest from the Cardinals in the Rule 5 Draft last month. The 25-year-old righty was an eighth-round pick in 2022 and split the 2025 season between High-A and Double-A. In 106 innings at both levels, Winquest posted a 3.99 ERA with a 23.9% strikeout rate and an 8.5% walk rate. He lowered his ERA from 4.52 in 63 2/3 High-A innings to 3.19 in 42 1/3 innings in Double-A. He also showed improved control by lowering his walk rate, though his groundball rate dropped significantly from 55.6% to 36.7%. As with any Rule 5 pick, it would be surprising to see Winquest last a full year on the big league roster. It is best used in low-level areas.
Yerry De los Santos
De los Santos bounced between Triple-A and the majors for most of the year, making 25 big league appearances with a 3.28 ERA in 35 2/3 innings. On the other hand, he caught ground balls at an above-average 55.4% rate and allowed just 0.25 HR/9. He used his mid-90s sinker 54.6% of the time to good effect, with a 6-run average according to Statcast. On the downside, his strikeout and walk rates were worse than average. His breaking pitches both had negative run values, making it easier for hitters to close the sinker. De los Santos has one option remaining on the year, so he will continue to serve as a depth piece.
Elmer Rodriguez / Chase Hampton
Rodriguez and Hampton were added to the 40-man roster in November for Rule 5 protection. They are the team’s No. 3 and No. 8 prospects according to MLB.com. Hampton missed the entire 2025 season due to Tommy John surgery and pitched just 18 2/3 innings in 2024. He looks like a tall guy to play in the big league bullpen, though his plus fastball and slider combo may get him a look later in the summer. Rodriguez has the tallest of the two. He reached Triple-A in 2025 and pitched 150 total innings at three levels, posting a 2.58 ERA with a 29.0% strikeout rate. Like Hampton, Rodriguez’s fastball and slider both equal pitches. He will be there but he will have to work on self control if he is going to get in.
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As things currently stand, the Yankees’ bullpen has a mix of youth and depth options. Of the six players discussed here, Bird has the most big league experience, though he will need to re-establish himself after a rough introduction to New York over the summer. Rodriguez also has potential given his minor league record and high strikeout rate. That said, the other four profile as deep arms or have injuries (Hampton) or fitness concerns (Winquest). That leaves Bednar and Cruz as the top options, with Doval having the closest pedigree but coming off his own uneven debut in New York. Overall, the bullpen looks very heavy and needs at least one or two strengthenings.
Over the years Aroldis Chapman again Zack Britton deals, the team has been reluctant to sign high-profile long-term contracts. They could choose to raise the bullpen’s floor by adding affordable quality relievers with major league experience, as well as another proven lefty to complement Hill. Andrew Chaffin fits the mold and is currently available in free agency. Although he missed time due to injury, he continued to dominate left-handed hitters in 2025, allowing only a .454 OPS against them. If the Yankees want to focus on quality arms, they can look to the trade market, perhaps by re-teaming with the Cardinals. JoJo Romero.
