Battle for the Yankees' final 2025 playoff roster spot just got more interesting

If the New York Yankees are lucky enough to be playing postseason ball on Sept. 30 — or, better yet, in actual October — then they're going to have some last-minute bullpen momentum to make sense of.

Pending a last-second injury, something we have to cross our fingers about annually (remember the 2024 Nestor drop, or Scott Effross' 2022 surgery bomb?), the Yankees know what lineup they want to put forth and what they'd like their bench to look like when the chips are in. Amed Rosario, who's been mashing lefties as prescribed, is in. Austin Slater and his 18 at-bats? They'd love to carry him, given Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton's defensive constraints, but they may not have room. He's the only bat who could potentially become an odd man out.

When it comes to the bullpen, though, it's officially time for the Yankees to rethink some of their priors. New York has been without a viable long man for a while. Yerry de los Santos stumbled and stepped down. Ryan Yarbrough missed months. It's a less essential role with Will Warren/Cam Schlittler possibly available to fill it, sure, but the Yankees probably would like some stability there. They also don't have a high-leverage type arm who's in danger of being left out. It'll come down to Slater/a pitcher, and the extra arm usually wins.

So, now that Yarbrough's healthy again, it'll be him, right? He's the No. 1 innings eater in the group ... right? Guys, why is everyone looking at me? Is it because Paul Blackburn, largely assumed to be a non-entity come October, is on a seven-inning heater and put the Baltimore Orioles to sleep on Thursday? Is it because Yarbrough gave up four runs to the Twins in a blink earlier in the week and made us rethink everything about the 10-1 laugher we thought we were enjoying? Something's in the water. Pick right or left.

Will Paul Blackburn's September surge earn him a New York Yankees playoff roster spot?

If the Yankees had a high-leverage specialist waiting in the wings, they'd presumably prioritize such a pitcher over an innings-eater down the stretch. They could've gone to Harrison Cohen or another non-roster option, at some point, but they haven't yet, and now they won't. The time for unproven arms has passed. It's Yarbrough vs. Blackburn vs. Additional Offense right now, and while Yarbs' track record is longer and he meant more to the Yankees' 2025 journey, expect the Yankees to feed Blackburn another opportunity or two down the stretch.

The next time the Yankees have a big lead, if they're lucky enough to run one up in the season's final week, you might just learn something.