MLB Rumors: Yankees Interested In Reunion With 13-Year Veteran Pitcher
The bullpen needs another grown-up arm, not another gamble project. That has Justin Wilson’s name popping up, with multiple reports framing him as a real reunion candidate after a strong season with the Boston Red Sox and a market that still has a few proven late-inning options sitting there.
Yankees bullpen rumors point to Justin Wilson fit
Wilson’s second stint in New York ended awkwardly back in 2021 when he was dealt to the Cincinnati Reds, but the stuff has not gone anywhere.
Last season in Boston, the left-hander put up a 3.35 ERA with a 2.95 FIP across 61 appearances, striking out 27.5% of the hitters he faced while working 48.1 innings and collecting 19 holds.
The swing and miss profile is the selling point, with his fastball generating a 34.6% whiff rate, and his overall whiff numbers landing in the elite range, which matters even more for a Yankees group that is trying to replace high whiff innings after losing arms like Luke Weaver and Devin Williams.
Why Justin Wilson to the Yankees keeps coming up
The appeal here is that Wilson can slide into real leverage without forcing the Yankees to overextend the rest of the pen early in the year. He is not being pitched as some unstoppable closer, but if he is sitting between late-inning options like Camilo Doval and Fernando Cruz, suddenly Aaron Boone is not playing roulette every time the game tightens up.
If the Yankees want to chase the American League East instead of patching holes in July, the Wilson link makes a lot of sense, even if the memories from 2021 are still sitting there.
Photo Credit: James A. Pittman-Imagn Images
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