Weak-link Yankees bullpen surprisingly thriving thus far in postseason
ST.PETERSBURG, Fla — Through three postseason games, what looked to be a weak link for the Yankees has not been.For the first four months of the season and right up until Aug.
3, the Yankees were expected to upgrade a bullpen that looked as if it needed help, and then they didn’t.In a stunner, GM Brian Cashman subtracted rather than added, putting his faith in the incumbents and mostly internal options.
Join Post Sports+ for exciting subscriber-only features, including real-time texting with Greg Joyce about the inside buzz on the Yankees.Many of those options did not work out.
Clarke Schmidt pitched in one game before returning to the injured list.Fernando Cruz is on the 60-day IL.
Luis Gil’s stuff did not play up.They brought in Michael Fulmer, who did not pitch himself onto the playoff roster, and John Schreiber, who did not pitch himself into playoff leverage.And yet through these first three games — two wins over the Red Sox and a loss to the Rays — the Yankees bullpen has allowed one run on two hits and three walks in 8 ²/₃ innings.David Bednar and Paul Blackburn have remained untouchable.
Brent Headrick’s stuff may have taken a step back, but he has still been effective in limited time.Will Warren was helpful against Boston.And perhaps the most encouraging takeaway from Saturday’s 1-0 loss was Ryan Weathers looking strong in a nine-pitch sixth inning that featured three groundouts to first base.“Really good to see Weathers come in there and just throw strikes, induce weak contact, have a clean, efficient, short inning,” manager Aaron Boone said Sunday of Weathers, who missed six weeks with a flexor strain and returned as a reliever rather than a starter.
“Again, I think he can be massive for us in the postseason.”After the loss, Weathers said he felt normal, healthy and strong enough that he believed he would be available Monday on one day of rest.The Yankees could use him not just because he had emerged as the season wore on...