Yankees Expecting Trio of Relievers to Shore Up Leaky Bullpen

The Yankees' bullpen has struggled mightily lately, but they have multiple reinforcements on the way.

Aug 17, 2020; Bronx, New York, USA; A general view of rain falling on the New York Yankees logo on the first base dugout roof during a rain delay in the game between the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports / Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

It has been tough sledding for the New York Yankees' bullpen lately.

Over the last six games, New York's relievers have allowed a staggering 26 runs, which has resulted in a combination of blowout losses and narrow victories. This alarming trend continued when the bullpen nearly wasted seven shutout innings from Nestor Cortes Jr. and a three-homer game from Juan Soto on Tuesday night, allowing the Chicago White Sox to bring the winning run to the plate before finally escaping the ninth inning.

The two relievers the Bronx Bombers acquired at the deadline haven't been enough to save the bullpen; Mark Leiter Jr. has gotten into jams regularly, while Enyel De Los Santos has been completely ineffective by allowing 10 runs and 13 hits in just 6.1 innings pitched.

Fortunately, more help appears to be on the way. Relief pitchers Scott Effross, Ian Hamilton, and Lou Trivino are working their way back from injuries, and could all be at the big league level by September, barring any setbacks.

Regarding Hamilton, Yankees' beat writer Bryan Hoch mentioned him in a team injury update, and reported that he will resume live bullpen sessions this week. The 29-year-old righty, who is recovering from a lat strain, was a hidden gem for the Bronx Bombers last season by throwing 58 innings with a 2.64 ERA and 10.71 strikeouts per nine innings. Although he has a 4.55 ERA this season, he has a much more encouraging 3.31 FIP; if Hamilton can work on his command upon returning, he can be a major asset like he was in 2023.

As for Effross, Yankees manager Aaron Boone said that he's "in the mix" to return to the big leagues after showing improvement for the Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders. Effross, 30, missed the entire 2023 season recovering from Tommy John surgery and underwent back surgery in December, resulting in him not being activated until July 14. The righty struggled in July with a 6.00 ERA, but has looked much better so far in August with a 1.42 ERA, six strikeouts, and just one walk in 6.1 frames.

Finally, the 32-year-old Trivino has a rehab assignment scheduled on Wednesday with the Double-A Somerset Patriots; his appearance against the Hartford Yard Goats will be the first time he takes the mound since 2023 spring training. The right-hander missed the entire 2023 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery, and has spent the majority of this season still recovering; however, he was excellent in his brief time as a Yankee in 2022, with a 1.66 ERA and 3.34 FIP.

Although the Yankees are banking on each of these relievers to stay healthy, they all have legitimate upside and can bring stability to the bullpen just by sheer volume; with the current bullpen being extremely top-heavy, bringing Hamilton, Effross, and Trivino into the fold can make it significantly more balanced.

The Bronx Bombers appear to be on track to make the postseason, but improving the bullpen depth will be integral to making a deep run.