Yankees promote intriguing relief option for MLB debut to mask Kervin Castro injury

The New York Yankees have left the trade deadline the same way they entered it: with a Core Four of back-end relievers and an endless group of arms dropping like Spinal Tap drummers just behind them. Starting Tuesday, they'll give another intriguing option a big-league chance: 27-year-old Bradley Hanner, who's prepared to make his MLB debut.

Going down in Hanner's place? Kervin Castro, who's been diagnosed with right elbow neuritis after replacing Angel Chivilli in the 'pen, the previous winner of the "most reliable random middle reliever" honors. Tim Hill, as much as we love him, cannot be considered for this trophy.

Before Chivilli's blowout against the Cardinals, he was genuinely excellent, harnessing his changeup (and relying on a little more luck on poorly located pitches than we would've liked, but still). Same with Castro, who posted a 1.42 ERA in 6 1/3 innings of medium-leverage this year (8 Ks) before apparently going down like the rest of 'em.

Now it's Hanner's turn, who the Yankees scrambled to protect and add to the 40-man when he tried to drop off it and depart. Let's see what he's got.

What can Yankees expect from new bullpen addition Bradley Hanner?

Hanner, who's split his career between the Minnesota and Cleveland organizations prior to 2026, found his stride in 2023 in Akron, continuing to swagger in the Arizona Fall League. He followed up his 2.78 ERA/70 Ks in 64 1/3 innings with ... a return to Double-A, where he nearly replicated those numbers, adding a 2.77 ERA in 55 frames the next year.

It was Triple-A he struggled to conquer, watching things balloon up to 4.74 (though with the Ks retained, 62 in 49 1/3 innings) and earning his ticket out of Cleveland's lab. He's broken through at the minors' highest level this summer (36 hits allowed in 51 1/3 innings, 2.10 ERA), and if any internal option deserves an audition, it's Hanner. It is decidedly not Rafael Montero, the early favorite in the clubhouse as a potential reinforcement who was formally released on Monday.

The Yankees need a fifth horseman in the bullpen so badly, and they thought enough of Hanner to interrupt their plans and protect him last month. There's no better time than the present to see if he can translate to the highest level - and, sadly, if he needs an adjustment period, they might not give it to him.

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