The New York Yankees’ struggles continued as they dropped the rubber match against the Texas Rangers by a 10-6 score. This loss marks their third consecutive series defeat, having also lost two of three games against the Nationals and the Cardinals. The Yankees had a chance to secure a series victory and maintain their position in the AL East standings on Tuesday, but a walk-off grand slam by Wyatt Langford handed them a 7-4 defeat. This loss was particularly damaging, as it highlighted ongoing issues within their bullpen.
Clay Holmes, who has been the Yankees’ primary closer, was unable to secure the save on Tuesday, marking his 11th blown save of the season. This figure is the highest among MLB pitchers. Although the Yankees have not officially removed Holmes from the closer role, manager Aaron Boone indicated that the team will adopt a more committee-based approach for the ninth inning. Boone mentioned he would be “creative” with save opportunities moving forward, though Holmes is expected to remain in the mix.
Despite Holmes’ troubling save numbers, his overall performance has been solid. He sports a 3.27 ERA across 55 innings, with a 25.2% strikeout rate and an 8% walk rate. His ground ball rate is impressive, with only Tim Hill getting a higher rate among relievers with similar innings. ERA estimators such as FIP (2.91) and SIERA (2.82) support that Holmes has been effective overall. However, his performance has been inconsistent, with a notable dip in effectiveness since late May. After a dominant start to the season, Holmes has posted a 5.14 ERA in his last 35 innings, reflecting issues with command and control.
The Yankees’ bullpen as a whole has been underwhelming, ranking 22nd in ERA since the All-Star Break. The team’s deadline acquisitions, Mark Leiter Jr. and Enyel De Los Santos, have not met expectations. De Los Santos was quickly waived after poor performance, while Leiter has struggled with home runs. Luke Weaver and Jake Cousins have also contributed to the bullpen’s issues.
In the wake of these struggles, Tommy Kahnle has been one of the more reliable relievers and could see more high-leverage situations, including potential save opportunities. Boone also hinted at the possibility of Luis Gil or Clarke Schmidt getting a look as closer candidates. Both pitchers are set to return from the injured list this weekend and will be part of the Yankees’ six-man rotation against the Cubs. Nestor Cortes could be moved to the bullpen, but he lacks the typical closer’s velocity. Gil and Schmidt are considered more likely to have the closing stuff needed for high-pressure situations.
As the Yankees navigate their bullpen issues and seek to stabilize their pitching staff, the upcoming series and the return of injured pitchers will be crucial in determining the team’s ability to rebound and make a push in the standings.
