Why The Yankees Should Deal A Reliever Next Season

The Yankees strength all season long has been their bullpen. They lead all teams in K per 9 and WAR even though they are 19th in ERA per Fangraphs. Granted the bullpen will have some changes, and certain middle relievers weren’t as effective during times this year, but that’s okay. Overall, the Yankees have some depth there and they can use that in a trade this coming off-season?

Why?

Because of two prospects they have. Two power arms who can team up with Dellin Betances and if re-signed, David Robertson, to form a potentially lethal game over kind of bullpen crew that can be up there with the Kansas City Royals and Seattle Mariners. One you may have heard of and one you may not have.

Let’s focus on the one you most likely know; Jacob Lindgren. Lindgren was the Yankees first pick in the draft this year. All he did was reach AA Trenton already and strike out 48 in 25 innings, while allowing 25 baserunners. He had a whopping 17.3 K/9 ratio in the minor leagues. Pretty good no? He’d certainly be a better option than Rich Hill and David Huff against David Ortiz next year no?

Let’s take a look at the guy you may not know. He was the Yankees seventh round pick last season. He went from Charleston all the way up to Scranton this year, going 5-2 with a 2.62 ERA and 81 strikeouts in 58.1 innings. Not bad huh? His name is Nick Rumbelow, and you may not know the name now, but you may next season as a right handed power option out of the bullpen.

If Lindgren and Rumbelow can approximate their minor league numbers next year, with Betances and maybe Robertson, the Yankees can use Shawn Kelley as a part of a package to help get another bat into the Bronx.

The one thing the Yankees have been able to do in recent years is develop arms for the bullpen. That’s the best way to do it; young cheap and through the system. Lindgren and Rumbelow may be the next chapter in that.