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New York Yankees potential bullpen target Scott Barlow
The New York Yankees are beginning to gear up for the start of spring training on February 16 when the entire team will be together for the first time.
Brian Cashman and the Yankees’ front office are coming off of an offseason that has drawn quite a bit of criticism. New York didn’t make any big splash outside moves, but were able to re-sign star outfielder Cody Bellinger to a long-term contract in free agency.
Due to the lack of addition, fans are concerned that the Yankees may not be a legitimate World Series contender. However, there are players, like starting pitcher Gerrit Cole, who are primed to return from injury to help New York pursue a championship.
Only time will tell what kind of team the Yankees are capable of being.
Ahead of spring training, there have still been calls for New York to make an addition or two. Most notably, the Yankees have been urged to consider pursuing bullpen help.
New York Yankees Linked to 3 Potential Names on Reliever Market
Should New York choose to pursue help in the bullpen, there are three names who have been brought up as potential options.
New York Yankees on SI’s Jack Markowski has named left-hander Danny Coulombe, right-hander Michael Kopech, and right-hander Scott Barlow as possible targets.
Here is what Markowski had to say about the Yankees’ need for potential bullpen help.
“While Williams and Weaver weren’t without their flaws, the Yankees still has a noticeable hole in their bullpen that has yet to be filled next to the likes of David Bednar, Camilo Doval, Fernando Cruz and Tim Hill, among others,” he wrote.
“There’s still a number of viable veterans sitting on the open market, though, whom could interest the Yankees on relatively inexpensive deals.”
Taking a Look at What Each Potential Target Would Bring to the Yankees
Coulombe pitched in 55 games last season split between the Minnesota Twins and Baltimore Orioles. He compiled a 2-1 record to go along with a 2.30 ERA, a 1.16 WHIP, a 2.4 K/BB ratio, two saves, nine holds, and no blown saves.
As for Kopech, the hard-throwing right-hander would be the most notable addition. He made 14 appearances last season with the Los Angeles Dodgers. In those outings, he recorded a 2.45 ERA, a 1.73 WHIP, a 0.9 K/BB ratio, and 11 innings completed.
Finally, Barlow would be an interesting pickup for New York. He pitched in 75 games and made one start, going 6-3 with a 4.21 ERA, a 1.39 WHIP, a 1.7 K/BB ratio, one save, 16 holds, and a blown save.
All three options would bring value for the Yankees out of the bullpen. Kopech would likely be the most impactful addition if he can stay healthy, but any of them would increase the depth for New York.
Expect to continue hearing rumors about the Yankees. They could use some bullpen help and it will be interesting to see if they pursue a move or two.
Evan Massey Evan Massey is a sports reporter and analyst located in Indianapolis, Indiana who covers the NFL, NBA, MLB, WNBA, and college sports. He has been featured on many publications, including Newsweek, Athlon Sports, ESPN, Yahoo! Sports, Forbes, Bleacher Report, Sporting News, and many others. In his free time, Evan enjoys spending time with his wife and son. More about Evan Massey
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