Yankees Rumors: Total wild card ex-rival reliever on New York's 'radar'

Though the Yankees' roster is largely set entering 2024, following a great deal of turnover, the consensus is they could still use another reliable bullpen arm after the departures of Michael King, Wandy Peralta and Keynan Middleton.

Could that reliable arm be ... Wandy Peralta or Keynan Middleton?! Sources seem to indicate unilaterally that one of those two men could return, a reality Randy Miller reiterated once more in his Thursday column taking a look at six bullpen arms the Yankees have recently been in touch with.

While Luis Gil could certainly turn out to be a bullpen beast, and Clayton Beeter/Will Warren could be used effectively, it would be nice to have another reliable arm to turn to -- beyond new addition Victor González -- if Jonathan Loaisiga and/or Tommy Kahnle predictably battle injuries. And are we sure Peralta is healthy, as the two sides look for a middle ground? He fought off triceps issues last season, as well as the FIP regression monster down the stretch.

If it's not Peralta or Major Key, though, it could be one of four names, according to Miller: Phil Maton, Hector Neris, Jakob Junis and (gasp) Ryan Brasier?!

Yankees pursuing relievers, including ex-Red Sox Ryan Brasier?

Brasier, most famous for being taken to court for pulling his son out of school during the Red Sox 2018 World Series run, had a blatant resurgence with the Dodgers last summer after learning something mysterious from Mark Prior and Co.

Prior to landing in LA, Brasier wrapped his Red Sox career with a 7.29 ERA in 20 games. After changing stripes? 0.70 ERA in 39 games in his age-35 season. Signing an aging reliever who has never been able to replicate his dramatic stretch run in '18 during his time in Boston (but who was?!) until switching coasts would certainly be a choice the Yankees could make. I believe they call it "riding the lightning."

Brasier was an antagonist during his time with the Sox, and nearly Steve Pearce'd himself into Bostonian Luck Land before reviving his career last summer with the game's best organization at developing pitchers. Obviously, the Yankees would sign up for 40 innings of 2.48-FIP ball right now, but the odds are much higher that Brasier's magical summer is already behind him. Paying up for Neris or reuniting with Peralta/Middleton at the right price would probably represent better bets.