After an early exit from the postseason at the hands of the Toronto Blue Jays, the New York Yankees have a lot to do this winter. Perhaps most importantly, they should be looking to make some upgrades to their bullpen, which was the only true weakness in an otherwise competent roster. They’ve already begun to make some changes, with MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch reporting on Tuesday that bullpen coach Mike Harkey will not be returning for the 2026 season. However, coaching was not the main problem. It was the countless feeble performances that they got from supposedly strong arms that prevented them from reaching their potential.
The Bullpen is a Top Need for the Yankees This Offseason
Devin Williams, Luke Weaver, Camilo Doval, the list goes on and on. On paper, the Yankees’ bullpen looked formidable, even dangerous; but in reality, it ended up being New York’s Achilles heel all season long. There have to be some major changes to this roster’s set of relievers if they want a better chance of competing with teams like the Blue Jays next season. So, with that said, here are some arms that New York could target this offseason to bulk up the bullpen.
Addition By Subtraction
The most frustrating thing about New York’s ‘pen this season was undoubtedly how most of their relievers did not live up to the expectations placed upon them, specifically Williams and Weaver, who posted ERAs of 4.79 and 3.62, respectively. But it wasn’t just their high-leverage arms: trade deadline additions Doval and Jake Bird were extremely inconsistent after coming to the Bronx, with Bird spending most of his time with the Yankees in the minors. With Williams and Weaver both facing free agency with no clear indications of returning, the Yankees will be free to use their bullpen budget much more freely than if they were to sign both of them.
Lefty Priority
With Tim Hill as their only left-handed reliever guaranteed to be on the roster come next season, the Yankees should make finding another (or multiple) solid southpaws a priority. And, it appears that they would be in luck, as there is a good amount of left-handed relievers hitting free agency this winter, including Taylor Rogers, Gregory Soto, and Danny Coulombe. Rogers and Coulombe are both coming off good seasons, each posting an ERA+ of at least 130. Soto, who posted a 4.18 ERA in 2025, has not been the same pitcher since making the All-Star Game in 2021 and ’22 with the Detroit Tigers. However, he has tossed at least 53 innings in each season since entering the league (with the exception of the COVID-shortened 2020 season), so he would be a solid choice for either eating up innings or specific matchups.
Finding Another New Closer
New York’s biggest task for the bullpen this offseason will be, of course, finding another closer. If they choose not to bring back Williams or stick with his midseason replacement, David Bednar, they will have to find their third closer in as many seasons. That shouldn’t be a huge problem, though; this upcoming class of closers has no shortage of talent. Most notably, there is Edwin Díaz, who has a player option for 2026 that he is not expected to take, though the most likely scenario sees him going back to the New York Mets. However, there are quite a few other names that will grab every team’s attention.
Devin Williams over his final 13 outings of 2025 (including postseason)
13 G | 13.0 IP | 16 K | 4 BB | 0.00 ERA
Bring back High Lev Dev?🧐#Yankees pic.twitter.com/SRJ8JVgUTQ
— Fireside Yankees (@FiresideYankees) October 13, 2025
There is Ryan Helsley, another Mets acquisition who almost went to the Yankees at the deadline instead. Though his numbers with the Mets this year were horrendous, Helsley still has a career ERA of 2.96 and 105 career saves. Another option is Emilio Pagán, who registered 32 saves in just his second career stint as a closer; he struck out 81 batters in 68 2/3 innings last season, posting a 2.88 ERA. These two will be seeking long-term deals, though, so if the Yankees want a short-term solution, they can turn to 38-year-old Kenley Jansen. The future Hall of Famer just finished his 16th MLB season and first with the Los Angeles Angels, putting up a 2.59 ERA with 29 saves. They could easily sign him to a one-year deal if they are uncomfortable giving a younger pitcher a longer deal.
The Last Word
Though the Yankees are typically reluctant to hand out lucrative deals to relief pitchers, they must seek external help for their bullpen this winter. They simply don’t have enough talent to construct a sustainable bullpen without bringing in outside help, so the question isn’t a matter of if they will go out and get a big-time reliever or closer; rather, it’s a question of who.
Main Photo Credit: Paul Rutherford-Imagn Images
