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As the July 30 trade deadline draws nearer, the New York Yankees are reportedly eyeing pitchers who can bolster the back end of their bullpen.
Per Jon Heyman of the New York Post, the Yankees’ “list of relief targets” includes Miami Marlins closer Tanner Scott, Tampa Bay Rays closer Pete Fairbanks, Washington Nationals closer Kyle Finnegan and “10-plus more back-end worthy guys.”
The Yankees have lost five of their last seven games entering Sunday’s series finale against the Boston Red Sox. Closer Clay Holmes ranks seventh in MLB with 21 saves, but he is tied for the league lead with seven blown saves.
New York already fortified its lineup by acquiring outfielder Jazz Chisholm from Miami on Saturday. The team is hoping that a year that began with such promise doesn’t end in more disappointment for a fan base that hasn’t enjoyed a World Series title since 2009.
The Yankees began the year with a 50-22 record before a recent slump dropped them to 61-45 entering Sunday. Manager Aaron Boone said earlier this week that he believes the team has the attitude to turn things around for the stretch run of the season.
“I’m not going to define stretch, this or that. We got to go win, right? And we’re right there,” he said. “We’re watching other teams struggle around us. We know we got to be better. We’re pissed off in there. We got a lot of pride in there. We got a lot of expectation in there. So, stretch, slump, recent, I don’t give a s–t. It’s we got to play better the rest of the way”
Adding some insurance behind Holmes with another reliable closer will surely improve the Yankees’ chances of competing for a title this season.
