Breaking down the Yankees bullpen for the 2018 season

The New York Yankees have built their bullpen to be one of the best in the game. Here is how they should use it throughout 2018.

Baseball is an evolving game; limiting starters and creating specialists in every bullpen. Lefty specialists, set up guys, closers and pure flamethrowers are littering every bullpen in baseball. Fortunately for the Yankees, general manager Brian Cashman has put together a plethora of shut down relievers to back up a rather young rotation.

But what should the predetermined roles be of the men in the ‘pen?

Chad Green was the best pitcher for the Yankees in 2017. Yes, he was better and even more reliable than Luis Severino. Green came out of nowhere and earned the go-to guy role for Joe Girardi’s Yankees.

Green pitched to a 1.61 ERA in 67 innings, striking out 100 batters. He exhibited pinpoint control with his upper-90s fastball, generating swings and misses each time he took the hill.

There have been talks of moving Green to the starting rotation, but that’s for the new manager to decide. Green is going to be a stud if he isn’t already — and shouldn’t become the next Joba Chamberlain.

The Yanks need him to be that long relief, shut down option again in 2018.

David Robertson only spent half the season in the Bronx in ’17 but made a significant impact. Tossing 35 superb innings, D-Rob pitched to a 1.03 ERA with 51 strikeouts and a 0.74 WHIP.

He may have served as the closer during his first tenure with the team, but has now has settled into the seventh inning hold position.

Robertson has spot on control with his low-90s fastball — but what really separates him is his devastating off-speed stuff. Robertson’s curveball is his go to pitch, and he isn’t afraid to throw it in any count.

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Tommy Kahnle also came to the Bronx in the blockbuster trade with the White Sox and instantly bolstered the Yankees’ bullpen.

He has a fastball that routinely reaches triple digits, combined with a hard slider and curveball. During his 26.2 innings pitched, Kahnle struck out 36 hitters, pitching to a 2.70 ERA.

Kahnle and Robertson can and should be used interchangeably during the later parts of games, but in an ideal scenario, Kahnle would be the new set up man. With the recent struggles of Dellin Betances, the set up role might be up for grabs.

Speaking of Betances, he really needs to figure it out and fast in 2018. He led the bullpen with six losses last season, walking 44 hitters over 59.2 innings.

While he did record 100 strikeouts, Betances was hit or miss in ’17. Opposing hitters say they didn’t even need to swing when they went up to the plate against him. His breaking ball either paints the corner or is in the other batters box, and same with his upper-90s fastball.

When Betances is on, he is one of the most electrifying pitchers in all of baseball. But when he isn’t, which is what he was for most of 2017, he can cost the Yankees a bunch of ballgames.

And that can’t happen on a team that is going to compete for a World Series championship.

Aroldis Chapman struggled midway through last year, but bounced back and had a solid campaign overall. His high 3.22 ERA and low 69 strikeout count are a bit abnormal for him, but after changing his mechanics late in 2017, Chappy seemed to figure it out.

After all, he did sign the biggest contract for a reliever in the history of Major League Baseball, with the promise of being the dominant closer he’s always been.

Despite a down year, expect Chapman to rebound nicely and be that lights out 9th inning arm the Yankees need.

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The big five in the Yankees’ bullpen will handle a lot of the work in 2018.

Collectively, they are all very powerful and give the Yanks a great chance to win many, many games. While struggles will happen, it would help if each individual player knew their specific role and when they’ll be called upon in a game.

The new manager, whoever it is, should consider defining roles for these guys early on, eliminating any speculation in 2018.