Four Relief Pitchers the Yankees Should Target in Free Agency

The New York Yankees middle relief corps has remained largely unsettled ever since the departures of Andrew Miller and Aroldis Chapman. The Scranton Shuttle has produced mixed results, and that is why free agency might be the best route.

For  much of the season, the New York Yankees were blessed with a three-headed monster comprised of fire-baller Aroldis Chapman, Andrew Miller, and now-closer, Dellin Betances. But, as we know, it couldn’t last. Chapman and Miller were both dealt at the deadline, in an effort to aid the franchise’s future. Now, Dellin Betances is the undisputed leader of the bullpen, while the other members have yet to really solidify their place.

Young guys like Ben Heller and Jonathan Holder offer some optimism, as they both have above-average stuff and time to develop. Adam Warren has struggled of late, but remains one of the more reliable options. Tyler Clippard has turned out to be a solid deadline acquisition, while Chasen Shreve has showed flashes of brilliance.

However, guys like Kirby Yates, Tommy Layne, and Blake Parker, offer little reassurance. They’ve all been shuffled back and forth between AAA Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, and haven’t shown many signs of carving out a permanent role. With the uncertainty surrounding this group of middle relievers, that is why you should expect the Yankees to be active in the search for help this winter.

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Mark Melancon

If you haven’t followed Melancon since his Yankees departure, he’s been phenomenal. Since 2013, he’s pitched to a 1.72 ERA and been named to three All-Star team’s. Still just 31 year’s old, Melancon has been as reliable as they come, tossing 331.7 innings since 2013, allowing 256 hits in that span.

While his strikeout numbers won’t blow you away, the 2015 NL Hoffman Reliever Award winner has been consistent, with a fantastic HR/9 rate below one for the majority of his career. You can bet that the Yankees will be interested in signing him, but it will likely just be a matter of money, where Melancon will have leverage as a result of his recent performance.

Kenley Jansen

Make no mistake about it, Kenley Jansen is the top righty relief arm available this winter. He’s been one of the most under-appreciated bullpen arms for quite some time, and he’ll likely get paid in free agency. In his seven year career, he has an ERA of 2.21, with a fantastic K/9 ratio of 13.9, certainly Andrew Miller-esque. 

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The Yankees will definitely look into signing the right hander, but the competition will be tough. Expect the Los Angeles Dodgers to make a strong push to resign him, as their bullpen woe’s are well documented. However, if the Yankees do sign him, they’d have quite the duo with him and Dellin Betances.

Luke Hochevar

Since becoming a reliever in 2013, Hochevar has pitched to a 3.17 ERA with a strikeout rate of 9.6 per nine. In 157.4 innings as a reliever, he’s allowed 121 hits, a solid mark. While he’s 32 year’s old, he’s been a consistent member of the Kansas City Royals’ bullpen for the past three years.

The Yankees indeed might be interested in him this offseason, considering the New York Post’s George A. King III’s report of a potential deadline deal where both Hochevar and Carlos Beltran‘s names were discussed. If the Yankees don’t sign Melancon or Jansen, Hochevar could be a nice consolation prize.

Aroldis Chapman

The biggest arm on the relief arm, Aroldis Chapman will cause teams to fight for his services. There’s no real need to dive into Chapman’s dominance, but he is arguably the best reliever in baseball, with an overpowering fastball and ridiculous strikeout rate of 15.2 per nine.

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Luckily for the Yankees, there is a real chance he could resign with them this offseason. On his Instagram page, Chapman said, “…bye for now”. When he spoke to NJ.com, he also said, “If the opportunity comes up where I can come back to the team, I would be more than happy.” Sure, it’s not clear-cut evidence that Chapman will resign, but it’s encouraging nonetheless.