Yankees Reunite with Left-Hander to Strengthen Bullpen

With the bullpen struggling lately, the Yankees brought back an old friend.

Jul 11, 2018; Baltimore, MD, USA; New York Yankees relief pitcher Chasen Shreve (45) pitches during the ninth inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports / Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

The New York Yankees are reuniting with an old friend to bolster the bullpen.

Chasen Shreve, a left-handed reliever who pitched for the Bronx Bombers from 2015 to 2018, is making a second stint with the team on a minor league deal. The acquisition was first reported by Dan Martin of the New York Post.

Yankees bring back Chasen Shreve to fortify beleaguered bullpen https://t.co/ANoJsKzKSq pic.twitter.com/0qjemFJm1v

— New York Post (@nypost) June 23, 2024

In three-and-a-half seasons with the Yankees, Shreve appeared in 180 games and compiled a 14-6 record with a 3.92 ERA, a 4.99 FIP, a 1.380 WHIP, and 201 strikeouts against 89 walks. He is well-known for being traded to the St. Louis Cardinals at the 2018 trade deadline, a deal that sent first baseman and 2020 MLB home run leader Luke Voit to New York.

Shreve got the Yankees' attention when he opted out of his minor league deal with the Texas Rangers; pitching for the Triple-A Round Rock Express, the 33-year-old southpaw recorded a 1.61 ERA and a 0.761 WHIP over 20 games and 22.1 innings.

New York's bullpen has been in a major state of flux lately, due to a combination of poor performances and a heavy workload. On Friday, the team already shook up the bullpen by calling up Yoendrys Gomez and signing Phil Bickford to a major league contract, while designating left-hander Victor Gonzalez for assignment; they also brought in fellow lefty Tim Hill from the Chicago White Sox on Thursday. The arrival of Shreve should add a better righty-lefty balance to the bullpen, as he is now one of four left-handed relievers on the roster; the others are Hill, Caleb Ferguson, and Anthony Misiewicz.

Shreve's previous tenure saw him work with much-maligned pitching coach Larry Rothschild, so perhaps working with current pitching coach Matt Blake can yield better results for the 11-year veteran.