Aaron Boone Piles Huge Responsibility on 28YO Pitcher as Yankees Aim to End Long Drought

The Yankees started the season expecting a bullpen they could trust in late innings, but inconsistency is now defining their identity. Despite strong numbers in recent games, the bullpen continues to struggle in high-pressure spots. However, Brent Headrick has emerged as one of the most reliable arms in the bullpen. He owns a 1.83 ERA across 34.1 innings in 36 appearances this season.

Boone praised Headrick’s fast pitches and his ability to throw strikes. Boone also likes that Headrick can pitch well in the middle of a game or at the very end. This makes him special compared to the other Yankees relief pitchers, who often fail under pressure.

The Chicago White Sox game showed how fragile the Yankees’ bullpen can be in one inning.

The game was tied 1-1 in the eighth inning before everything changed with one shot. Fernando Cruz gave up a leadoff double, and Tim Hill then hit two batters to load the bases. Camilo Doval entered and immediately gave up a first-pitch, go-ahead grand slam to Andrew Benintendi. The White Sox won 5-1 and avoided a sweep in the Bronx.

Doval has now posted a 5.08 ERA across 28.1 innings with the Yankees. Left-handed hitters are batting .368 against him with a .979 OPS this season.

Boone said Benintendi attacked early and punished a bad pitch in the zone. Yankees pitching coach Matt Blake said Doval needs to use different pitches against lefties. But Doval simply said he believes he will pitch better soon.

Even with bullpen struggles, the Yankees still have trust in players like Headrick. He had a short, rough patch earlier this year. He gave up three runs in three straight losses to the Brewers, Orioles, and Mets.

His strikeout percentage also dropped from 32.6% in 2025 to 25.5% in 2026. And his walk rate has gone up from 7.6% to 10.1%, showing that he is having some command issues. But since those 3 games, Brent Headrick has given up just 1 run in 13 appearances.

“He had a couple tough outings, and he’s been able to bounce back from that, and so it’s nice to see that,” said Boone, talking about the outings where he earned three runs in 3.2 innings in three appearances.

This shows that the bullpen has fallen short multiple times in the season when the game is close and goes into late innings. And if the Yankees want to go all out and win the World Series after 16 long years, they will need the rest of the bullpen to do the same.

The bullpen might be the reason the Yankees don’t win a World Series

The Yankees entered the season expecting a World Series push, but bullpen instability is shaping their identity late in games. Despite a strong roster and high payroll, the relief unit has already cost them close wins this season.

The bullpen sits near the top of the AL charts in ERA around the mid-3s, but in key moments, they have let games slip. Expectations were a dominant October run, but late-inning results keep raising doubts again.

Because of bad games like Thursday, the Yankees have blown 12 leads this season. They rank 11th in the league for blown saves. The team’s overall ERA is sitting in the mid-3s. The real problem is pitching well in close, late-game situations. Earlier this season, the Yankees went a long time without winning a single extra-inning game.

Things could improve if the rotation continues to stay healthy and deep into games more often. Max Fried’s return could shift roles and push starters into bullpen flexibility options. Ryan Weathers moving into relief gives a power left-handed option with high velocity in short bursts. Clarke Schmidt returning later in the season could add another experienced arm for late innings stability.

Prospect depth also gives hope, with Carlos Lagrange offering elite velocity that can change innings for the Yankees. Other young arms in the system could reduce pressure on the main bullpen group over time.

And with Hendrick keeping his arm as a reliever and Bednar taking up the closer role, it will be easy for the Yankees to handle the pressure. But these changes depend on timing, health, and how quickly they adjust to the season. Without that support, the same bullpen group keeps getting exposed in close games.

If the rest of the bullpen cannot pitch like Headrick, the Yankees will not win the World Series. One bad inning in October can ruin a great season. Until the Yankees fix their late-game pitching, fans will keep waiting for their first championship in 16 years.