Despite Losing Wandy Peralta, Are the New York Yankees Set for a Bullpen Reunion?

It was a classic misdirection. While the world looked at the New York teams, it was the San Diego Padres came forward and sealed the deal with Wandy Peralta. While their cross-town rivals were upset, they were no match to the kind of emotions that the New York Yankees fans went through. Peralta was a beloved Yankee, and The Faithful had hoped for that love affair to continue, but alas! Life tends to surprise us all. The real story, however, is what this means to the Bombers’ search for a pitcher. 

The need for a reliever, though not urgent, is highly desired in the Yankees Clubhouse. Despite having a few good prospects, there’s a slight fear regarding the bullpen depth of the Bronx Bombers. Perhaps that’s why, despite losing a chance for one reunion, the Pinstripes could go for another soon. 

A reunion is still on the cards for the New York Yankees

Ever since they traded away their top prospects, the Yankees have been linked to a bunch of pitchers. Now, with nearly all of them signing a contract with someone else, the Pinstripes’ list of possible bullpen entries has narrowed down tremendously. While a surprise can always spring in this offseason, as of now, there’s one name that has been forever linked with the Yankees – Keynan Middleton. 

YES’ Jack Curry has already shared that the Pinstripes are looking for a reunion. He had also named Wandy Peralta, but with Peralta’s loss, the Yankees’ resolve to sign Middleton could become stronger. Especially as the pitcher would be a cheap and efficient entry into their bullpen. 

Top insider Jon Heyman has also indicated before that the Yankees were aiming for a low-cost acquisition after crossing the $300 million mark. Middleton fits that bill to a Tee. Not only would he cost much less than most other pitchers out there, but he also already knows how the Pinstripes function. 

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The New York Yankees are hoping for their prospects to step up this season. As a result, one could expect them to get more chances. This is why a less expensive depth signing like Middleton becomes so important. 

The youth revolution in the Pinstripes

Despite not having the same depth they did in 2023, the Yankees are still a prospect-rich club. There’s Clay Holmes, Ian Hamilton, and the new entry Victor Gonzalez. In fact, despite losing a few players, the bullpen of the Pinstripes remains jam-packed with prospects. So with competition already pretty high in the roster, spending too much money on a bullpen addition isn’t a necessity. 

Perhaps that’s one of the reasons why, despite being linked with Hector Neris, the Pinstripes didn’t sign him. So with depth being the primary goal of the Yankees, a less expensive reunion with Middleton looks like a win/win for both.

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