The New York Yankees hoped to address their bullpen issues with two trade deadline acquisitions, but the situation has deteriorated as neither move has worked out as planned. Enyel De Los Santos was designated for assignment just two weeks after being acquired, and Mark Leiter Jr. has faced significant struggles since joining the team from the Chicago Cubs.
Mark Leiter has struggled mightily with the Yankees so far.
After Clay Holmes squandered the save opportunity in the ninth inning on Sunday night against the Detroit Tigers, the Yankees had another chance to secure the win in the bottom of the 10th with a one-run lead and Mark Leiter Jr. on the mound. Unfortunately, Leiter couldn’t get an out, leading to a walk-off victory for the Tigers and a series loss for the Yankees.
The defeat was particularly painful considering Marcus Stroman’s stellar performance with six scoreless innings, and Luke Weaver and Tommy Kahnle’s hitless innings in relief.
Leiter was anticipated to be a crucial asset for the Yankees’ bullpen due to his high strikeout rates. While he is still accumulating strikeouts (11.9 K/9), he has also struggled with giving up runs in critical situations. In his 11 appearances for the Yankees, Leiter holds a 6.48 ERA and has surrendered two home runs.
Leiter’s struggles make the Yankees bullpen even thinner.
The right-hander has allowed at least one earned run in three of his last four appearances, and his recent struggles come at a time when the Yankees need him to perform better due to a depleted bullpen. The team has been trying to strengthen the bullpen all season, and Leiter has been notably disappointing despite high expectations.
If he doesn’t improve, Leiter may see fewer high-leverage situations, with Weaver and Kahnle likely handling critical moments, and Michael Tonkin potentially stepping into some key spots as well. The Yankees might also adjust Leiter’s pitching strategy, reducing his reliance on fastballs in favor of more off speed pitches, as his splitter and curveball have proven more effective.
There is still an opportunity for him to turn things around and become a valuable reliever, but so far, his performance has been discouraging and needs to improve soon.
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