The New York Yankees’ pitching staff have had a rocky season to say the least. With a number of devastating injuries holding some of their best arms back and an unreliable bullpen failing to close crucial games, the Yankees are limping toward the finish with more questions than answers.
Stephen J. Nesbitt and Chad Jennings of the Athletic ranked the Yankees’ postseason pitching core eighth out of the 15 teams in postseason position, citing their failure to shore up the bullpen as hoped at the trade deadline and their troublesome command of the zone.
“Remember the trade deadline, when the Yankees made three trades meant to completely revolutionize their bullpen?” Nesbitt and Jennings wrote. “Two months later, only one of those new relievers ([David] Bednar) is among our projected top eight arms. Another, Camilo Doval, could be a factor as well, but he hasn’t been great. The third, Jake Bird, has been in the minors.”
“The Yankees’ pitching staff’s biggest second-half additions have been Bednar, [Cam] Schlittler (who was called up right before the All-Star break), and Gil (who returned from a lat strain in August). Schlittler and [Luis] Gil have given the rotation a needed boost, and now manager Aaron Boone has high-upside starting options beyond [Max] Fried and [Carlos] Rodón.”
Sep 5, 2025; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees starting pitcher Cam Schlittler (31) pitches against the Toronto Blue Jays during the first inning at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images / Brad Penner-Imagn Images
The outlined core included Fried and Rodón as expected, with Schlittler occupying the third starting spot and Gil as a possible starter, possible reliever. Reliever Devin Williams stands out in the crowd with his 5.12 ERA, but he has been dominant over his last six games with a 0.00 ERA. Fans are loath to trust him in high-leverage situations however, given his track record with blown saves this season.
The Yankees fell behind the Los Angeles Dodgers, Philadelphia Phillies, Seattle Mariners, Milwaukee Brewers, San Diego Padres, Houston Astros and Boston Red Sox in the ranking. Notably, the Toronto Blue Jays’ pitching staff were ranked 14th because they have the highest ERA of any team in playoff position (4.23). The Blue Jays are currently 2 games ahead of the Yankees for the top of the AL East.
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