The New York Yankees have nearly finalized their Opening Day bullpen, following another round of roster cuts on Sunday night. However, the term “unofficially” plays a crucial role, as several veteran players are still available, making the situation fluid.
Recently, both Adam Ottavino (Boston) and Ryan Yarbrough (Blue Jays) became free agents after being informed they would not make their respective teams’ Opening Day rosters. The Yankees are known to explore such opportunities to bolster their bullpen depth, should the need arise.
For now, fan favorite Wilking Rodriguez has been reassigned to minor-league camp. The 35-year-old right-hander, who made two appearances with the 2014 Kansas City Royals, has been working hard to make a comeback, adding extra velocity to his fastball.
However, without a spot on the 40-man roster, Rodriguez faces a tough road ahead. In the meantime, the Yankees’ bullpen is expected to include Yoendrys Gomez, Brent Headrick, and Yerry De Los Santos unless there’s an external move made in the coming days.
Gomez, who is out of minor-league options, has had an impressive spring with a 0.00 ERA over 11 1/3 innings in seven appearances. Headrick has been a reliable option recently, pitching two scoreless innings against the Tigers on Friday.
De Los Santos, a bit of an unknown, has shown flashes of potential, with a 1.93 ERA and nine strikeouts in 9 1/3 innings this spring, though he did struggle on Sunday, giving up a key run. Despite his minor struggles, De Los Santos is on the 40-man roster, and the Yankees are likely to keep him, though he could be in danger of losing his spot if they make any changes.
The Yankees have primarily focused on finding a right-handed bat lately, but the final spots in their bullpen remain a work in progress. With key pitchers like Scott Effross, Jake Cousins, JT Brubaker, Clayton Beeter, and Ian Hamilton sidelined, the Yankees may seek to upgrade their bullpen as Opening Day approaches.
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