Not Acquiring A Closer Has Backfired On The Yankees

Despite the Yankees being in the mix for a closer at the trade deadline, New York opted to not acquire one. Instead, the Yankees opted to try and figure it out with the relievers already inside the organization. As the regular season is coming to an end, the decision to stick with Clay Holmes is proving to be a mistake. The Yankees’ backend of their bullpen is now vulnerable entering the postseason.

Clay Holmes Has Been Inconsistent

After getting off to a hot start, Clay Holmes has had a very inconsistent season. While the 31-year-old does have 29 saves, this stat can be misleading. Holmes has also blown an American League-high 11 saves. Most of his outings also seemed shaky. In 57 appearances this season, he allowed a batter to reach base in 37 of them.

Elite Closers Were Available To Be Acquired

As the trade deadline approached, the New York Yankees seemed like they would pursue a closer. Holmes blew four saves in July and the team needed to solidify the backend of the bullpen. Elite closers like Tanner Scott, Kyle Finnegan, Carlos Estevez, Jason Adam, and others were available to be acquired. The team was even rumored to be in the mix for Scott. It seemed like a great year to trade for a closer. However, the Yankees didn’t acquire a closer at all. Instead, GM Brian Cashman decided to trade for relievers Mark Leiter Jr. and Enyel De Los Santos. This signaled that despite his shakiness, the team was fully committed to Clay Holmes’ closing games. However, as the season has gone on, Cashman’s decision to not trade for a closer was a big mistake.

Brian Cashman Made A Poor Decision Sticking With Holmes

After receiving the full support of the team, Holmes proceeded to blow three more saves. Recently, Yankees manager Aaron Boone hinted that other relievers would be in line for save opportunities. Without saying it, Boone essentially said that Clay Holmes would no longer be the primary closer. This means the Yankees are moving to a “closer by committee” strategy which can be very risky. This makes the backend of the bullpen very vulnerable heading into the postseason.

The Closer Role Is Now Unsettled Late In The Season

Brian Cashman should’ve realized that the Yankees needed an insurance policy at the closer position. The Yankees could’ve still been patient with Holmes and had someone else who could do the job as well. However, thanks to Cashman’s poor decision-making at the deadline, the Yankees’ closer role is now unresolved. New York’s bullpen currently has nobody they can truly trust in the ninth inning. This is a very scary position to be in both for the stretch run and October.

Brian Cashman’s Poor Decision Could Be Fatal

The Yankees’ failure to address the closer role at the trade deadline may now be a fatal mistake. Brian Cashman had seen that Holmes had been inconsistent all season and should’ve acquired another closer. It would’ve also been a good excuse to get another high-strikeout reliever, something the Yankees have lacked all year. Instead, Cashman’s decision to be patient with Clay Holmes has backfired. This now leaves the job unsettled putting the Yankees in a precarious position late in the season.

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