New York Yankees: 5 left-handed relievers team could target in free agency
By Sean Dyer
The New York Yankees have a loaded bullpen but the one thing they are missing is a shutdown left-handed reliever. Here are five free agent options to fill that “need”.
The New York Yankees had one of the best bullpens in baseball in 2017. They used it to make up for a shaky starting rotation early in the season and the relief corps carried the Yankees through the playoffs.
Joe Girardi loved to go to his bullpen early and often. We don’t know who the next New York Yankees manager will be or how he’ll utilize his relievers but with so much talent in the bullpen, he’ll likely call upon it when in a tough spot.
After acquiring David Robertson and Tommy Kahnle at the trade deadline last year, the Yankees will now get full seasons out of the former White Sox. They will join Aroldis Chapman, Dellin Betances, Adam Warren, and Chad Green (if Green doesn’t win a spot in the starting rotation) to form one of the deeper bullpens in recent memory.
The one thing missing? A shutdown lefty.
Out of those big bullpen arms, the only one who throws left-handed is Aroldis Chapman. Chapman, however, is the Yankees closer and he doesn’t come in to get out tough lefties before the eighth or ninth inning.
The other left-handed relievers currently on the New York Yankees 40-man roster: Chasen Shreve.
Chasen Shreve is not exactly a shutdown lefty reliever. Over the last three seasons, left-handed hitters have hit .234 against Shreve but he’s been even better against righties as they’ve hit just .214.
Although Shreve has limited all hitter from getting on base, it would be nice for New York to have other left-handed options in the bullpen in case something were to happen to Shreve.
To say that a left-handed reliever is a need for the Yankees would be superfluous. New York’s bullpen will be one of the best in baseball in 2018 even without any further additions.
However, when looking up and down the New York Yankees roster, there aren’t a ton of pressing needs outside of maybe another starting pitcher.
With so much young talent at or ready for the major league level, the “rebuild” is well ahead of schedule and potentially over. Brian Cashman can now use his financial might to add on luxury pieces, with left-handed reliever falling under that category.
Do the Yankees need a shutdown lefty in their bullpen? No. Could the Yankees target left-handed relievers this offseason? Absolutely.
So let’s take a look at five left-handed relievers who the New York Yankees could potentially target in free agency.