The New York Yankees are making a significant shift in their bullpen strategy after Clay Holmes recorded his 11th blown save of the season, tying a Yankees franchise record for blown saves in a single season. Holmes has struggled to find consistency in high-leverage situations, and Yankees manager Aaron Boone announced that the team will now adopt a closer-by-committee approach for the rest of the season.
Boone shared his thoughts on the situation ahead of the Yankees' series finale against the Texas Rangers, telling reporters, “In the short term, we'll kind of just get a little creative with it... Clay is really not that far off from being the dominant guy we know he can be." However, with the Yankees locked in a tight race for the AL East lead, they can't afford more late-inning collapses.
Brian Cashman’s decision not to acquire an impact reliever at the trade deadline has become a critical issue for the Yankees down the stretch. While they added a couple of supplementary arms, they didn’t make a high-profile move to shore up the closer role, and that lack of action is now haunting the team. Holmes' struggles, combined with the failed additions of Mark Leiter Jr. and Enyel De Los Santos, have left Boone with no clear-cut replacement.
Instead, the Yankees will turn to a mix of Tommy Kahnle, Jake Cousins, and Luke Weaver to close out games. Rookie Luis Gil and Clarke Schmidt, both coming off the injured list, could also be moved into late-inning roles as potential closing options. However, Boone indicated the Yankees would likely keep Gil in the starting rotation for now.
For Yankees bettors, this new bullpen uncertainty creates a more favorable angle when targeting first five-inning moneylines or run lines instead of full-game plays. With the closer role now up in the air, the Yankees' ability to hold late-game leads could be at risk in the final weeks of the season and into the postseason.
Holmes, who currently holds a 3.27 ERA with 60 strikeouts over 55.0 innings, has been unable to deliver in clutch moments, but he remains a key figure in the bullpen.
The Yankees are fighting to reclaim the AL East crown, and their closer situation will be one of the most important storylines down the stretch. With a committee approach in place and multiple arms set to contribute, New York backers should approach Yankees games with caution when it comes to late-inning leads.
Not a Yankees fan? This is a fantastic opportunity to start fading the Bronx Bombers if you haven't done so already.
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