In his postgame interview following the Yankees’ 12-2 loss to the White Sox on Monday, Aaron Boone was asked if he was concerned about his team’s bullpen’s recent performance. According to the New York Post, he expressed trust in many of the individuals down there.I believe we have the makings of a nice one down there.
I was skeptical of Boone’s optimism, especially after seeing the Rangers’ last two games, in which the bullpen gave up a combined 12 earned runs. Perhaps Boone was bullish about his bullpen’s possibilities following Monday’s disaster because he knew the Yankees were going to DFA one of their bullpen’s major concerns, Trade Deadline flop Enyel De Los Santos.
Before dismissing Boone’s words as unrealistic, it’s only fair to assess the state of the Yankees’ bullpen, as well as each pitcher’s past success in the second halves of the season.
Let’s have a look.
Clay Holmes, like Luke Weaver, is one of only two relievers left from the Opening Day roster. He looked fantastic for the first two months of the season, not surrendering a single earned run until late May. Holmes has not been as dominant in the past two months. He currently leads the majors with nine failed saves, despite allowing only three earned runs over the last month.
Last year, Holmes finished the season with only three blown saves, but he’s enjoying a far better August than in 2023. The AL Reliever of the Month honor he received in September helped disguise the fact that he pitched 10.1 innings, surrendered 10 hits and 9 earned runs, and finished the month with a 7.84 ERA. So his home stretch in 2023 was erratic, to say the least. 2022 provided a different rollercoaster trip. A back ailment sidelined him for more than two weeks in August, and he allowed runs in six of his first nine appearances in September. Including the playoffs, Holmes concluded the season with nine shutout innings in seven games, allowing three hits and two walks while striking out eight.
Tommy Kahnle, who did not join the roster until he returned from the IL in late May, has the best ERA in Boone’s bullpen, at 1.80. There have been a few instances where he has lost control of his signature changeup, but when it is functioning, opposition hitters are still confused by the 35-year-old veteran. In his last 19 games since the beginning of July, he has allowed only two earned runs while striking out 17.
The question remains, as it always has, Kahnle’s health. Following Tommy John surgery and a bone injury in his elbow, he was limited to 13 games for the Dodgers in 2022. He did pitch nine shutout games in September, but the NLDS was less fair. He recorded a 3.72 ERA in the final two months of the 2023 regular season before being placed on the injured list due to right shoulder irritation. If Kahnle is healthy, Boone should perform.
