New York Yankees Rumors: Righty Relief Needed?

Feb 21, 2015; Tampa, FL, USA; New York Yankees manager Joe Girardi (right) and generial manager Brian Cashman during spring training workouts at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

The David Carpenter experience wasn’t a good one. The right-handed reliever was DFA’d by the New York Yankees earlier in the week and it leaves the Yankees quite left-handed in their bullpen. In fact they only two right-handers in Dellin Betances and Esmil Rogers. That’s a little too lefty heavy so Brian Cashman may be doing some shopping for a right-handed reliever to help the corps.

Here’s what he told MLB Network Radio;

So really, outside of Betances, there’s only one right-handed arm out there, but he’s the long man. I’ve got a number of lefties out there in Wilson, Shreve and Lindgren that all can get righties out, and at least that’s the benefit of those guys. It’s not as much of a pressing issue, but I certainly would love to get an arm that I think Carpenter is, but just not here in New York. I think Carpenter will be that for somebody else.”

Well, Cashman is in luck. I’ve got five right-handed arms he can look at to help balance out the bullpen. Some guys are free agents, which means it’s not going to cost you a prospect. Just money. The Yankees have that. We all know this.

Other guys will be trade bait. The Yankees may have to take on some money, but if they do, maybe it won’t cost them that  better prospect in comparison.

So let’s take a look at five guys the Yankees could target.

Feb 23, 2015; Glendale, AZ, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher David Aardsma (58) throws in the bullpen during camp at Camelback Ranch. Mandatory Credit: Rick Scuteri-USA TODAY Sports

David Aardsma

Yes another ex-Yankee on the list. Brian Cashman wants to add someone on the cheap, he should look no further than the guy who just opted out of his LA Dodger minor-league pact.

Aardsma was pitching quite well as the closer for the Dodgers AAA club in Oklahoma City.

He was 4-0 with a 1.29 ERA and 11 saves in 33 games. In 35 innings, he struck out 36. He gave up 20 hits and walked 17 and had a WHIP of 1.05.

Aardsma hasn’t appeared in a major league game since 2013 with the Mets where he didn’t put up the greatest numbers.

Aardsma will probably cost something close to the minimum and considering the Yankees are going to want someone on the cheap, this could be a guy who is right up their alley.

Jun 2, 2015; Detroit, MI, USA; Oakland Athletics relief pitcher Tyler Clippard (36) pitches in the ninth inning against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park. Oakland won 5-3. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

Tyler Clippard

Third ex-Yankee in a row! Woo! Anyway, if the Yankees want to go for someone really expensive and probably costly (Should Oakland put him out there) he will be a hot commodity, than the Yankees could turn back to the Yankee Clippard.

Clippard will be a free agent at the end of the season and is earning a cool $8.3 million this year.

Clippard has eight saves and a 2.31 ERA. In 23.1 innings, he’s struck out 20, but given up 16 hits and issued 13 walks throughout that time.

Clippard has an All-Star pedigree and can be used in any role that you want.  Righties are hitting .261 against him this season, while lefties are hitting just .100 in three less plate appearances.

The A’s are hot right now, but if they falter Clippard could be on the block and could be a huge catalyst for any team’s bullpen, including the Yankees

May 9, 2015; Chicago, IL, USA; Cincinnati Reds relief pitcher J.J. Hoover (60) delivers a pitch during the ninth inning in game one of a doubleheader against the Chicago White Sox at U.S Cellular Field. Cincinnati won 10-4. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports

J.J. Hoover

First non-ex Yankee on the list but that’s fine. The big sexy name out of the Reds bullpen is Aroldis Chapman, but he’s a lefty too (though he’s really freaking awesome).

If the Reds are going to go into rebuild mode, J.J. Hoover is someone the Yankees should look at. The guy hasn’t given up a earned run since April. That’s Betances-nasty!

Do I have your attention now? Good.

His ERA is 2.14 but his FIP is 3.07 so maybe he’s pitching into some good luck right now. His BABIP against is just .186.

Hoover is keeping the ball on the ground at an absurd rate. 50% of the time. If you keep it out of the air, you can get good things to happen for you and Hoover is an example of that.

Hoover is relying on his fastball a little bit more this year. Per Fangraphs, his usage of it is up three percent from 65% to 68%.

Hoover had a terrible year last year, going 1-10 with a 4.88 ERA. It could be that things are evening out for him this year. Bullpen pitchers for the most part have performance fluctuations from year to year. May as well try and get someone at a high point for this year.

May 14, 2015; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Colorado Rockies relief pitcher John Axford (66) throws the ball in the ninth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. The Rockies won 5-4. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

John Axford

The ex-Yankee farmhand could be an option for the Yankees to acquire if the Rockies sell. The Rockies currently sit in last place and six games out. One of their issues hasn’t been their closer that they got on the cheap in the off-season.

Axford is pitching at a level this year he hasn’t hit since 2011.

He’s only struck out 12 in 16 innings, but has only given up 11 hits and walked six.

Opponents are hitting just .186 with a .234 BABIP.

He, like Hoover, is benefiting from an increase in a groundball rate, as opponents are keeping the ball on the ground 55% of the time.

He’s keeping his flyball rate under 30% for the first time since 2012.

If you’re not going to blow away hitters at Yankee Stadium, you better keep the ball on the ground. The same thing applies at Coors Field.

If the Yankees don’t want to go internal for their right handed relief, any of the five aforementioned options could help boost what could be the strength of the club.

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