NEW YORK — The Yankees bullpen has been a mess for three straight years. Nobody wants to admit it. But the numbers scream it louder than any fan in the bleachers.
Now Brian Cashman appears to be shopping for solutions. And a hard-throwing left-hander from the AL East division rival Tampa Bay Rays has caught his attention.
According to The Athletic’s Chris Kirschner, the Yankees are interested in Garrett Cleavinger. The 31-year-old posted career-best numbers in 2025. His 33 percent strikeout percentage would give New York something they desperately lack. A reliever who can actually miss bats.
The bullpen problem nobody wants to discuss
Manager Aaron Boone keeps saying the right things. He told reporters at the Winter Meetings that the bullpen “has normally been a strength for us” and “that’s my expectation again.”
The reality tells a different story. The 2023 bullpen produced 4.5 fWAR. That dropped to 2.9 fWAR in 2024. Then it fell again to 2.8 fWAR in 2025. All three marks represent the lowest totals for the Yankees in the past decade.
The team finished 21st in bullpen fWAR last season. The group ranked 23rd in ERA at 4.37 and 19th in WHIP at 1.320. Those are not numbers that win championships.
Devin Williams is gone. He left for the Mets. Luke Weaver remains unsigned after his 2025 struggles. The relievers who carried the 2024 playoff run have scattered.
What Cleavinger brings to the Yankees bullpen
Cleavinger posted a career-low 2.35 ERA in 2025. He struck out 82 hitters in 61.1 innings. Both marks set personal bests. His 0.94 WHIP shows a pitcher who limits baserunners.
“The Tampa Bay Rays have also made several trades this offseason, and it’s worth checking in on left-hander Garrett Cleavinger’s availability,” Kirschner claimed. “The Yankees have had previous interest in him, and Cleavinger’s 33 percent strikeout percentage would give New York another pitcher who could miss bats.”
The velocity matters here. Cleavinger’s fastball averaged 96.5 mph last season. The Yankees current left-handed relievers throw nothing close to that heat. Brent Headrick, Tim Hill, Ryan Yarbrough and Jayvien Sandridge all work with softer stuff.
Cleavinger also added a sweeper to his arsenal in 2025 after working with pitching coach Kyle Snyder. That pitch generated a 34.1 percent whiff rate. Opponents hit just .089 against his four-seam fastball, the third-lowest mark among all MLB pitchers with at least 45 at-bats ending with that pitch.
The connection at the World Baseball Classic
Cleavinger committed to Team USA for the upcoming World Baseball Classic. He joins a roster that already includes Yankees captain Aaron Judge. The two will be teammates in the tournament.
That creates an interesting dynamic. Judge could do some recruiting while they share a clubhouse. He could also evaluate Cleavinger up close before any trade happens.
The Yankees still have not resolved their Cody Bellinger situation. The slugger opted out after hitting 29 home runs with an .813 OPS in 2025. Re-signing Bellinger remains a top priority for Cashman alongside fixing the bullpen.
Adding Cleavinger through a trade would cost prospects rather than payroll space. That matters when the Yankees are already bumping up against their internal spending limits. Bellinger’s expected $25 million annual salary eats a huge chunk of the remaining budget.
The current setup situation is dicey
David Bednar will close games in 2026. He rebounded nicely after a brutal 2024 with Pittsburgh. His elite strikeout ability and above-average walk percentage make him reliable.
After Bednar, everything gets murky. Camilo Doval has electric stuff but cannot find the strike zone consistently. He and Fernando Cruz both finished in the top 20 among all relievers for worst walk percentage last season.
Boone remains optimistic about Doval despite the struggles.
“I really feel good about where he was at the end of the season and into the playoffs,” Boone said. “I felt like he had some of his best outings for us at the very end, and into the postseason. He did some things, just in how he gets set and everything, that cleaned him up a little bit and got him just in a better position for the strike throwing.”
The re-signing of Paul Blackburn does not move the needle. FanGraphs projects him for just 0.1 fWAR across 50 innings. That is depth at best.
Why the Rays might deal Cleavinger
Tampa Bay has already made multiple trades this offseason. They operate differently than most franchises. When a player has value, they often cash in.
The Rays just signed Steven Matz to a two-year, $15 million deal. That gives them another left-handed option in the bullpen. Mason Montgomery also returns with late-inning stuff.
Cleavinger avoided arbitration this past year by agreeing to a $1.2 million contract. He remains affordable. That makes him an attractive trade chip for a team always looking to maximize value.
The Yankees have shown previous interest in Cleavinger. The connection is not new. Now the question becomes whether Cashman will pull the trigger.
The bigger picture in the Bronx
The Yankees need multiple additions. One reliever will not solve everything. FanGraphs currently projects their bullpen to finish with 3.1 fWAR, tied for 10th in baseball. That represents only a modest improvement from last year’s disaster.
Bellinger’s return would address the lineup needs. Adding Cleavinger would shore up the relief corps. Both moves could happen if Cashman plays his cards right.
The Padres have also dangled relievers like Jeremiah Estrada and Adrian Morejon. Those names have surfaced in Yankees discussions. But Cleavinger offers something different. The left-handed power arm. The strikeout upside. The divisional experience.
Judge and Bellinger need bullpen support to chase a championship. Three straight years of declining performance cannot continue. Cleavinger might be the answer Cashman is searching for in a winter that has produced more questions than solutions.
What do you think?
