3 relievers the Yankees could trade for to fix their disastrous bullpen

Gerrit Cole returned to the New York Yankees starting rotation on Friday and threw an absolute gem. Unfortunately for the veteran ace, his bullpen let him down and cost New York yet another game. GM Brian Cashman and his staff must realize that multiple bullpen upgrades are needed before the 2026 campaign gets away from the AL East power.

The best illustration of the Yankees’ relief struggles is the fact that the two hurlers most counted on to be high-leverage pieces for manager Aaron Boone currently sport negative WARs. Closer David Bednar sits at -0.4, and setup man Camilo Doval has not been much better at -0.2. Ugly finishes to close games are a big reason why the Yankees sit behind the Tampa Bay Rays in the AL East standings.

The good news for Cashman and his staff is that finding bullpen help is possible via in-season trades. The trick, of course, is zeroing in on the right arms who can bolster the pitching staff down the stretch. Trading for any of these three relievers would give the Yankees a big boost in their quest to end the franchise’s lengthy World Series drought.

Trading for Kenley Jansen would give the Yankees a new closer

The Yankees aren’t saying anything publicly about shopping for a replacement for David Bednar in the ninth inning, but it should be on the team’s shopping list. Kenley Jansen is a veteran with postseason experience who should be able to handle the stress of pitching down the stretch in the Bronx.

The Tigers aren’t going anywhere, which makes Jansen an obvious trade candidate unless their season turns around quickly. Trading for a 38-year-old might not help the Yankees’ future, but it can improve their present.

Jansen has blown three seasons this year, which is a concern, but he’s also struck out 19 in just over 13 innings, showing that his stuff is still alive and well. Flipping one good prospect for Jansen might be tough for Cashman to swallow, but it’s a move worth making for the Yankees.

Pete Fairbanks should be a Yankees target despite his bloated ERA

A lot of Yankees fans won’t be excited at the prospect of trading for a reliever sporting an 8.25 ERA for the Marlins. That should not disqualify Pete Fairbanks from being a prime trade target for New York.

Yankee fans with longer memories need only think back to how good Fairbanks was during his long tenure with the Rays. That history, combined with this season’s strikeout numbers, suggests an uptick in performance for Fairbanks should be on the horizon.

At his best, he’s just the sort of swing-and-miss reliever the Yankees need to add to their late-inning mix. The Marlins should be ready to move him since he’s headed back to free agency at the conclusion of the season. Fairbanks projects to be one of the most coveted rental targets ahead of the deadline. The Yankees should be in the mix for his services until Miami agrees to a deal to move him elsewhere.

Kevin Ginkel could be a sneaky add for the Yankees bullpen

Kevin Ginkel should not be the best reliever the Yankees add via in-season trade, but he could be a shrewd secondary acquisition for Cashman in the coming weeks. Cashman will also be attracted to the veteran since he only makes a little over $1.8 million this season.

The Diamondbacks should be selling everyone not nailed down this season, and Ginkel should garner interest from multiple teams. He’s bounced back from a horrible 2025 campaign to be an above-average middle reliever for Arizona this season. That could be his ticket to a contender like the Yankees before the deadline.

Ginkel isn’t the sort of trade target who is going to change the Yankees’ season, but he can give Boone a useful middle-inning option that can help them rack up regular-season wins. He’s just the sort of under-the-radar trade target who can pay major dividends for a team with title aspirations.

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