Beneath the New York Yankees’ impressive season, a potential pitfall was lurking. What started as a minor issue has turned into a full-fledged crisis. The bullpen, a one-time supposed strength, is now in misery. The most recent blow — a season-ending injury to a prominent reliever — has set off a siren so loud that even the front office can no longer ignore the glaring weakness that could define their entire season.
The bullpen’s foundation was already unstable. Their 4.45 ERA has been the eighth-worst in baseball for June. This slump was magnified by the absence of closer Luke Weaver, who landed on the injured list with a hamstring strain on June 3rd. Weaver’s 1.05 ERA over 24 appearances made his temporary loss a massive blow to the back end of the bullpen. And as if that wasn’t enough.
Now, Yankees right-hander Jake Cousins has been sent to the IL because of season-ending Tommy John surgery on Wednesday. Manager Aaron Boone confirmed the news on Monday night after New York’s 1-0, 11-inning loss to the Angels.
On the “Locked On Yankees” podcast, analyst Brian McKeon issued a major warning following the latest injury update. “Jake Cousins is going to be hitting the IL with Tommy John surgery. So, he’s going to be out for the next year, foreseeably,” McKeon stated. “And people forget Jake Cousins had great numbers last year… That’s a huge loss for the Yankees. And they were depending on him coming back.” This isn’t just one more injury; it’s the loss of a key piece they were counting on.
The warning shot from McKeon is something to think about. Because this loss shatters the Yankees’ traditional cost-effective strategy. He explained that getting an injured player back often serves as the team’s “trade deadline acquisition.” This is the “Brian Cashman motive,” a way to avoid giving up prospects. And McKeon made things clear for us. “Well, now they’re going to actually have to make a trade deadline acquisition,” he declared, highlighting that the front office’s preferred plan has been completely upended by Cousins’ diagnosis.
So, what is the way forward? According to McKeon, the Yankees must now enter a perilous trade market. The problem is, “this isn’t a really strong market,” meaning the team will face steep prices for relief help. “Yankees might wind up giving up a little more than they’re comfortable with,” he concluded.
Well, with Devin Williams struggling (6.35 ERA) in high-leverage spots and other arms showing inconsistency, the need for an external fix has become an urgent necessity, not a luxury.
The Yankees’ bullpen dilemma
With the obvious pitching staff need, there are a handful of trade targets that rise above the rest. The dream acquisition would be Mariners closer Andres Munoz. He has been spectacular in 2025, with a 1.30 ERA, 18 saves, and years of team control. However, his cost would be enormous, likely requiring a package of top-tier prospects that the front office would be unwilling to give up for a non-closing reliever.
A more realistic, yet still costly option, is Rockies righty Jake Bird. He’s enjoying a breakout season with a 2.23 ERA and an elite 11.6 K/9 rate. Under team control through 2029, Bird perfectly fits the mold of a durable, high-strikeout middle reliever of the type that would replace what the team lost in Cousins. He’s a rational, sensible way to deploy prospect capital to address their most immediate need without emptying the farm system.
The Yankees could also look for an internal solution. The most exciting possibility is right-hander Clayton Beeter, who is at Triple-A. The organization creatively turned him into a full-time reliever early on, feeling his potent “fastball-slider mix is super powerful.” With a career minor league strikeout rate of 33.1%, Beeter has the high-leverage stuff the big-league club desperately needs. It could be a huge test for the club’s player development infrastructure to promote him.
The Yankees’ front office has a decision to make NOW. They have a history of trading for bullpen help, as they did in 2024 for Mark Leiter Jr. and in 2022 for Scott Effross, targeting high-strikeout arms both times. The warning has been issued, and the team’s fatal flaw is out in the open. Will they pay the steep price to acquire a proven arm, or will they gamble on an internal prospect to save their season? Only time can say…
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