Yankees relief prospect Ben Grable has a clear game plan for Futures Game dominance

The 2026 New York Yankees - no, I'm not kidding - have baseball's best bullpen ERA entering the final day of play before the first half wraps. But anyone who's watched the games knows that swing-and-miss is still lacking. Outside of their top four high-leverage arms, there's danger lurking in those hills, and they could use a significant velocity infusion. That's exactly what breakout Double-A reliever Ben Grable could bring down the stretch - but he's not thinking that far ahead.

"That's the last of my concerns," Grable told FanSided, when asked about any timeline discussions. "All I want to do is pitch well everytime I get the ball, control what I can control, and let the chips fall where they may."

Ok. So, we'll wait, then. In the meantime, Grable hopes to get a chance to deviate from his normal, humble regular season plan and air it out a bit on the national stage at the Futures Game.

"[Entering the year, I just wanted to] put my head down, go to work everyday, stay super intentional with my preparation, and see what happened," Grable said.

But along the way, the expectations changed and the eyeballs multiplied. Now, after spending as much time as any athlete did pregame with his adoring fans - seriously, Grable signed for everyone who wanted it - it's time to show off and show out against the game's premium young talent.

What can Yankees fans expect from Ben Grable in All-Star Futures Game?

"The heater. Power, baby," Grable chuckled. "Maybe a couple sliders mixed in, but we're gonna try to hit a number if we can get in there."

If elite velocity is your thing, Grable clearly has the excitement of the showcase in mind. It's a bummer that Yankees starter Cam Schlittler won't be following him and appearing in Tuesday's All-Star Game on his throw day, but Grable should give all fans their fill if things go according to plan.

And, maybe someday, he'll even get to test his stuff against his dream matchup across all of MLB history: Shohei Ohtani. Which is an attainable goal.

"He's probably the best at what he does, hitting and pitching. I'd stick to my strengths. Heaters. See what happens," he said with another grin.

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