The Yankees had the second-best bullpen ERA in the league last season. Maintaining that level will take some work this offseason, with several key pieces hitting free agency.
General manager Brian Cashman referred to the bullpen as New York’s “main priority” during an appearance on MLB Network Radio on SiriusXM this week (h/t Bryan Hoch of MLB.com).
Hoch adds that the Yankees are interested in bringing back two members of the 2026 relief corps, Tim Hill and Paul Blackburn. The team already issued a qualifying offer to closer David Bednar. The former Pirate excelled in his first full season as New York’s stopper and will likely reject the QO. Several teams are known to be in on Hill, including the Mets, Dodgers, Cardinals, Guardians, and Giants.
The club already re-upped with Blackburn once, retaining him on a one-year, $2MM deal last winter. Blackburn originally joined the organization in 2025 after he was cut by the Mets. He struggled in eight games to finish the season and came back on a cheap deal. Blackburn emerged as one of the most effective relievers in the league in 2026, compiling a 1.59 ERA over 85 frames.
[Related: How Paul Blackburn Became An Elite Reliever]
Blackburn ranked 41st on our Top 50 Free Agents list. We predict a two-year, $15MM deal. It’s not a massive price tag, but it’s certainly a step up from Blackburn’s last free agent agreement.
Here are a few other Yankees items…
If Bednar rejects the QO, left-hander Adrian Morejon could become a target, per Jorge Castillo of ESPN. The former Padre is the top option in the free agent reliever market. He’s expected to command a hefty contract, both in terms of money and years. Morejon tossed 86 innings with a 2.83 ERA and a 30.4% strikeout rate as the setup man ahead of Mason Miller this past season. There’s been rumblings about teams wanting to stretch him out as a starter, but he prefers to stay in the bullpen. New York is looking for a hitting coach replacement after James Rowson moved on to the Giants. The team has interviewed former Dodgers hitting coach Aaron Bates for the vacancy, reports Brendan Kuty of The Athletic. Bates has been in L.A. since 2023. He left the Dodgers at the end of the season after failing to reach a contract extension. Hoch notes that Joe Dillon is also a candidate for the hitting coach gig. Dillon has been a hitting coach in the minors and majors for the past decade. He most recently worked for the Cubs’ Double-A affiliate. The Yankees will also have to replace bench coach Brad Ausmus, who was hired as the Astros’ manager. Ausmus is replacing Joe Espada in Houston. The reverse could happen in New York, as Kuty mentions Espada as an option to take over Ausmus’ old role. Espada spent a few seasons as the Yankees’ third base coach in the mid-2010s under former manager Joe Girardi. He moved on to Houston after his time in New York ended, first as a bench coach before replacing Dusty Baker as manager.Photo courtesy of Michael McLoone, Imagn Images
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