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For months, the New York Yankees’ bullpen has worn the blame for their summer collapse. But here’s the truth: the bullpen isn’t the root problem—Greg Joyce of the New York Post, says it’s the starting rotation. New York’s starters have quietly been one of MLB’s least effective units since late June, and it’s forcing Aaron Boone to manage every game like it’s October just to survive nine innings.

The numbers tell the story. Since June 29, Yankees starters have completed six innings in just five of 33 games. Max Fried, Carlos Rodón, Will Warren, and the since-released Marcus Stroman account for those rare deep outings. More often, Boone is reaching for the bullpen by the fifth inning—a pattern that’s become the rule, not the exception. In that same stretch, New York’s rotation has posted a 5.20 ERA, the fifth-worst in the majors.

That workload is crushing the relief corps. The bullpen has thrown 127 innings over the same span, sixth-most in MLB, with a 6.02 ERA—the second-worst mark in baseball. When your best arms are being burned three or four nights a week, eventually they’re either unavailable or ineffective.

The Domino Effect Is Killing the Yankees’ Late Innings

Boone has made it clear: “The pitchers all protect each other… That starts with starting pitching.” But when starters exit before the sixth inning, there’s no protection. Every game turns into a high-leverage scramble.

The recent Rangers series was a perfect example of how short starts drain the roster. On Monday, Fried needed 105 pitches to get through five innings, leaving a 5-4 lead to the bullpen. Boone had to roll out Luke Weaver, Camilo Doval, David Bednar, and Devin Williams, with Williams blowing the ninth.

On Tuesday, Warren lasted five innings on 98 pitches. That again brought Doval and Weaver into the middle innings before Williams surrendered the go-ahead runs in the eighth. A single extra inning from Warren could have kept Williams out of the game entirely.

By Wednesday, Rodón’s 93-pitch leadoff walk in the sixth ended his day. Boone had to bridge the final four innings with Mark Leiter Jr., Tim Hill, Yerry De Los Santos, and a five-out save from Bednar—because Weaver and Williams were gassed and Doval was on emergency-only status. That’s how lower-leverage arms wind up in spots they can’t handle.

Fried and Rodón Must Be the Solution—Not Part of the Problem

The Yankees didn’t build this rotation expecting Fried and Rodón to be five-inning pitchers. Both dominated in the first half—Fried posted a 1.92 ERA through 17 starts, and Rodón a 2.92 through 18—but they’ve both regressed. Fried has posted a 5.81 ERA in his past six starts, while Rodón has a 4.50 ERA in his past seven.

The issue isn’t just hits—it’s walks. Free passes are running up pitch counts and pushing both starters out of games before they can face a lineup three times. Fried admitted it himself: “I have to do a better job of being more aggressive and not falling behind so much… Whether it’s four-pitch walks or uncompetitive walks, I just need to do a better job.”

That’s a glaring problem for a team that needs length from its rotation now more than ever. The Yankees designed their bullpen overhaul at the deadline to be a luxury, not a life raft. But unless Fried and Rodón start pitching deeper into games, Boone will keep leaning on his top relievers until they break.

The Yankees can still right the ship and secure a playoff spot, but the formula isn’t complicated. It’s not about adding more bullpen arms or shuffling the lineup—it’s about getting the rotation back to workhorse mode. Without that, the bullpen will continue to drown, and so will the Yankees’ season.

Alvin Garcia Born in Puerto Rico, Alvin Garcia is a sports writer for Heavy.com who focuses on MLB. His work has appeared on FanSided, LWOS, NewsBreak, Athlon Sports, and Yardbarker, covering mostly MLB. More about Alvin Garcia

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