Yankees: Unexpected bullpen woes continue to hamstring Bombers

The Yankees continue to struggle and surprisingly, the bullpen has been a big reason why.

This should not be happening. The Yankees are supposed to have one of the best bullpens in baseball. But, lately, the relievers haven’t been consistent, which has many fans scratching their heads. What gives?

Sure, closer Aroldis Chapman is on the shelf. But Aaron Boone still has a crew of capable arms that includes Chad Green, Dellin Betances, Zach Britton, and others. Betances blew a lead in the 3-2 loss to the Blue Jays on Sunday, which was the latest misstep in a string of disappointing performances by the bullpen.

Boone and the Bombers don’t have any room for error. New York’s lead for the first wild-card spot stands at 1.5 games. The Yankees have only won eight of their last nineteen games. It’s time to get back on track but a leaky bullpen makes that a tough task.

The Yankees have fallen from the graces that came with a dominant first half. Before the All-Star break, Boone’s relievers had an ERA of 2.69. Stretches of dominance by Chad Green and Jonathan Holder cemented a wide belief that the Yankees boasted the best bullpen in baseball.

Oh, how the mighty have fallen. Coley Harvey of ESPN writes that the bullpen’s ERA has climbed to 4.23 and the drop-off in its performance is obvious.

“Since the break, Yankees relievers also have allowed more walks and home runs per nine innings and have fewer strikeouts per nine innings in the second half.”

Boone, members of the team and fans alike hope that getting Chapman and slugger Aaron Judge back will help return the team to its first-half self. (Or, at least, something that resembles it more than the mediocrity that has plagued this club in recent weeks.)

More from Yanks Go Yard

• Should Yankees toss short-term extension at Harrison Bader before 2023?
• Yankees chose worst possible player to ring in New Year on 2023 team calendar
• Yankees State of the Farm System Review: Josh Breaux
• Yankees make upside play, sign former Rangers top prospect outfielder
• MLB insider claims favorite emerging in Bryan Reynolds rumors (not Yankees)

However, Chapman has been battling tendinitis and there’s no guarantee that he’ll be hit the ground running when he returns. Similarly, Judge hasn’t hit in a game since his injury and the time to shake off the rust is rapidly dwindling.

In previous months, it was too easy to hit the panic button at the first sign of trouble. There was some security in the fact that the team still had time to figure out its issues. But now it’s September 17 and the Yankees don’t have a big cushion anymore.

Ideally, the Bombers will round into shape in the final weeks of the season. As a result, they’ll enter the playoffs on a hot streak with some momentum. That being said, nothing about this team right now should make the fans feel very comfortable that the Yankees will pull it off.

Even if the team manages to dust itself off and finish strong, look around the league. Boston is dominant and they look practically invulnerable at this point. The Bombers will meet the Red Sox this week, and again to close the season. These series will give fans a better sense of where the Yankees stand as October nears.

Beyond the division, the Astros aren’t perfect but they’re still a quality team. Houston will be far from a cakewalk come October. The Indians won’t be an easy out, either. Factor in a hot Oakland squad and Yankees fans should feel nervous.