Yankees must trade for Phillies’ flamethrower to form elite duo with David Bednar, end bullpen woes originally appeared on The Sporting News.
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The New York Yankees are once again one of the best teams in Major League Baseball. They have been led by stars such as Aaron Judge, Max Fried, and several others.
Despite their strong start, the Yankees still have flaws like every other contender across the league. One of their biggest concerns has been the bullpen.
“Outside of those three, it’s hard to see who can be trusted. Fernando Cruz has been wild so far this season, and has issued too many walks early this season. Jake Bird is emerging, but has shown high vulnerability in big spots, but has also been clutch in big spots and could be worth a high-leverage look. The other options, Paul Blackburn and Ryan Yarbrough are not suited for high-leverage,” LWOS’ Matthew Nethercott wrote.
David Bednar has been one of the few bright spots in the bullpen, but the Yankees still need another elite reliever to pair alongside him. One potential option could be Jhoan Duran of the Philadelphia Phillies.
“Outside of David Bednar, the Yankees’ bullpen has been inconsistent at best this year. The Yanks offense has been on point to start 2026, but the relievers and closers haven’t necessarily been the most efficient. David Bednar has been the only real consistent arm on this staff. He has nine saves, a decent ERA (3.29) with 16 strikeouts and no home runs given up. He’s been the catalyst of the bullpen, but he can’t do it all himself. Adding Duran would give them two reliable arms in the bullpen that will pay dividends down the road, particularly in the postseason,” FanSided’s Wyston Wilcox wrote.
Duran is the type of reliever plenty of teams around the league will inquire about if he becomes available. The Yankees are simply searching for another dependable late-inning arm who could elevate the team not only during the regular season, but especially in the postseason.
Duran is just beginning to settle back in after recently returning from injury earlier this week. A bullpen featuring both Bednar and Duran would be a nightmare matchup for opposing teams. If New York could somehow pull off a deal for the hard-throwing reliever, it could completely change the outlook of their season.
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Dodgers trade puts MLB on ‘chokehold,’ Phillies help make LA ‘bulletproof’ in deal for Jhoan Duran
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