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Yankees: NYY Need to Bolster Bullpen With This Free Agent

ByAdam Weinrib|
TORONTO, ONTARIO - JULY 28: Aaron Sanchez #41 of the Toronto Blue Jays reacts during play against the Tampa Bay Rays in the first inning during their MLB game at the Rogers Centre on July 28, 2019 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Mark Blinch/Getty Images)
TORONTO, ONTARIO - JULY 28: Aaron Sanchez #41 of the Toronto Blue Jays reacts during play against the Tampa Bay Rays in the first inning during their MLB game at the Rogers Centre on July 28, 2019 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Mark Blinch/Getty Images)

The Yankees are one of the strongest teams in the American League, but they could get stronger. Why not add a bullpen wild card?

If there’s anything we learned about the 60-game Yankees this past weekend in Washington (Editors’ Note: It’s quite possible we didn’t), it’s that the fleshy underbelly of the bullpen might get more work than we ever wanted it to.

New York planned a bullpen game in the third contest of the weekend, but in Game 2, James Paxton couldn’t escape the second inning, and we welcomed a struggling Ben Heller and Jonathan Holder to the fray. David Hale made his debut Sunday in relief of Jonathan Loaisiga. None of these mix-and-matches went particularly well.

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The Yankees don’t have as many clear and obvious weaknesses as some of their competitors, but I see no reason not to add some high-upside pitching to the middle part of their ‘pen (or, at least, their player pool).

Aaron Sanchez, who authored a combined no-hitter in Houston last season, missed the remainder of ’19 with a shoulder issue, and was laid up for the original offseason, too. However, his landing spot’s been projected a few times in recent publications — why not New York?

Hey, you’ve got to keep the arms away from the depleted Red Sox when you can, right?

Sanchez has easily the nastiest raw stuff of any available bullpen option, including his snap-dragon curve and devastating change.

Outside of his no-no, the erratic righty had a depressing 2019, but is only a few years (and, to be fair, one debilitating injury) removed from a 15-2, 3.00 season in ’16.

Sanchez not doing it for you? There are a few other potential innings eaters, like Arodys Vizcaino, Andrew Cashner and Danny Salazar still available.

All are damaged goods, to some extent, but a little insurance for Luis Cessa’s recovery never hurt nobody. Right now, the Yankees don’t quite have the manpower to keep blowouts from escalating in the middle innings.

No reason not to pay for a lottery ticket here, especially with an alternate site to play with.

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