The Yankees Must Bring Back Top End Relievers Kahnle, Hill

This offseason has been a busy one for the New York Yankees.

Notably, theyve brought in closer Devin Williams from the Milwaukee Brewers.

Williams, 30, has been one of the best relievers in baseball over the past few years and will be an integral piece of the Yankees bullpen.

One great pitcher doesnt make a great pen, though.

The Yankees boasted the third-best bullpen ERA in baseball last season at 3.62, largely due to stellar performances by guys like Luke Weaver , Jake Cousins , Tim Hill , and Tommy Kahnle .

The latter two are now free agents, and New York has made little indication that they intend to re-sign either of them.

Yankees Should Re-Sign Kahnle and Hill to Fortify Bullpen Why Its a Mistake Not To There isnt a single team in baseball who shouldnt want Kahnle.

The 35-year-old just had arguably the best year of his career this past season, pitching 42 2/3 innings to a 2.11 ERA (196 ERA+).

He also played a pivotal role in the postseason, tossing 8 2/3 innings while allowing just two earned runs.

If thats not enough, Kahnle is beloved in the Yankee clubhouse and has close ties to many Yankee players.

Bringing him back for another season or two would not only boost team morale but solidify a bullpen that currently looks like it could regress from last season.

1-2-3 8th inning for Tommy Kahnle! pic.twitter.com/HB1a0r5Gzf Talkin Yanks (@TalkinYanks) September 6, 2024 Tim Hill would also be a great help to the pen, though hes not as dominant a reliever as Kahnle.

Rather, Hill was manager Aaron Boone s lefty specialist in 2024, and the stats support it.

Left-handed hitters had a .643 OPS (81 OPS+) in 132 plate appearances against Hill last season, and he surrendered just 9 runs and 33 hits to southpaws.

Matchups work more often than not, especially with a slinging left-hander like Hill, and the Yankees currently have zero left-handed relievers.

Bringing back the 34-year-old would not be very costly, and having a bullpen with solely right-handers isnt ideal.

TIM HILL GETS IT DONE! GLEYBER TAKES THE DOUBLE PLAY HIMSELF! pic.twitter.com/A2iBiLUu5x Talkin Yanks (@TalkinYanks) October 20, 2024 The Plan if They Dont Thankfully, most of last years squad is returning next season.

Additionally, Jonathan Loaisiga will be back from injury, providing another anchor to front Devin Williams.

Regardless, this pen still lacks variety in that there arent any left-handers, which will not bode well with Boones heavy reliance on matchups based on handedness.

Left-handed relievers still on the market include Tanner Scott , Danny Coulombe , and Caleb Ferguson (who was a Yankee this past season before being traded to the Houston Astros).

The Alternative Plan However, the likely scenario is that general manager Brian Cashman will trade for or sign smaller pieces later on in the winter or even during the regular season and then rely on pitching coach Matt Blake to convert them into valuable assets.

We saw this happen once again last season with Weaver and Hill, both of them blossoming into dominant pitchers after struggling on other teams.

But even right now, with the addition of Williams as the new closer, this Yankees pitching staff could very well turn out to be one of the best in baseball next season.

This article first appeared on Last Word On Sports and was syndicated with permission..

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