For weeks, the Yankees’ bullpen had looked like a leaky faucet—drip after drip of missed scopes. Games that could have been locked down in the eighth or ninth became heartbreaks, and with the team slipping further in the AL East, the pressure was mounting. Something had to give, and it did—right at the trade buzzer.
Enter the $5.9 million swing-and-miss outcome: David Bednar. He is a two-time All-Star and the nastiest star available at the deadline. The Yankees snagged the hard-throwing closer from the Pirates in a move that quickly made headlines—and turned heads in their own dugout. Yankees manager Aaron Boone was not shy in backing the deal.
“Great stuff,” he told SNY’s Gary Apple. “He is obviously closed a lot in his career… been through some struggles and come out the other side. Probably even a better, more refined pitcher.” Then Boone doubled down on the arsenal: “Fastball, curveball, split… gets both handed out. Dominated lefties this year as well as righties.” For the manager, this was not just a smart deal—it was the bullpen’s long-overdue power-up.
However, as one door opens, another creaks awkwardly. Despite bringing in Bednar—and later Jake Bird and Camilo Doval—the manager made a bolder decision: Devin Williams will remain the closer. That is right. The star with a 6.27 bullpen ERA, supporting cast, and multiple late-inning meltdowns? Still holding the ninth. “We got some high-powered guys now… but I think Devin’s still the guy,” Boone said. Such a clarity suddenly put Luke Weaver, once part of Boone’s inner circle, directly on notice.
This decision was not random—it was analyzed. Williams, despite early stumbles, had just begun to find a rhythm. However, Weaver had slipped from “rising option” to shaky ground. With free agency looming for the two stars, the pressure just hit a new level. As one Yankee insider said, “It’s now or never for a few of these guys—and Boone just drew the line.”
Make no mistake—this bullpen overhaul is not just about who finishes games. It is about who survives the season. While the Yankees reshaped their bullpen to stop the bleeding on the field, the team’s work at the deadline did not end there. In fact, one move on the positional side could prove just as vital, if not more, over the upcoming two months.
Yankees land $70M All-Star to solve lingering third base issue
The Yankees quietly made a very strategic play a full week before the deadline—by swinging a deal for Ryan McMahon from the Rockies. Such a move did not come with as much fanfare as the bullpen additions; however, it checked a huge box. Third base had become a revolving door, with DJ LeMahieu underwhelming and no real long-term option in place. McMahon, a 2024 All-Star, arrives with two seasons remaining on a $70 million deal and the upside to settle that position through 2027. Though the star is slashing .227/.326/.408 this season, he has hit 16 homers and brings solid left-handed power to a righty-heavy Yankees lineup.
MLB, Baseball Herren, USA St. Louis Cardinals at Colorado Rockies Jul 22, 2025 Denver, Colorado, USAColorado Rockies third baseman Ryan McMahon 24 runs off a three run home run in the fourth inning against the St. Louis Cardinals at Coors Field. Denver Coors Field Colorado USA, EDITORIAL USE ONLY PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xRonxChenoyx 20250722_mcd_ac4_183
What makes that move smarter is its dual effect: short-term stability and long-term insurance. The Yankees did not just rent a bat for the stretch run—the team locked in a defensive stalwart who has posted elite metrics at the hot corner. Analysts like Bleacher Report’s Kerry Miller were quick to praise the team, identifying the Yankees now have an “everyday third baseman for 2026 and 2027.” Playing for a contender could just unlock another level for McMahon, who was stuck in a lifeless Rockies offense with little motivation. Now, the star is in a pennant chase in the Yankees—with a chip on the star’s shoulder and plenty to prove.
The Yankees did not just make noise at the deadline—the team sent a message. With a reloaded bullpen and a long-overdue answer at third base, the management made it clear: this team is going for it. Whether such moves spark a deep October run or fall just short, one thing is certain—no one in the Yankees is sitting idle.
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