Yankees' new bullpen features ground ball specialists

MLB

by Dan Martin

According to FanGraphs, the Yankees' main problem a year ago was a lack of offensive power, finishing 25th in scoring, but their bullpen was average and they finished 16th in the majors in WAR.

Since the end of last season, Wandy Peralta and Michael King left for San Diego, as did Albert Abreu (Japan), Keiynan Middleton (St. Louis) and Greg Weissert (Boston).

But the philosophy that has made the Yankees' pen a strength in recent years should remain the same, as they acquired a pair of left-handed pitchers from the Dodgers in a trade: Victor Gonzalez and Caleb Ferguson.

Ferguson and Gonzalez both have high ground ball rates, and the Yankees clearly value that.

According to FanGraphs, Penn led the majors with a ground ball rate of 50.6 percent and had an MLB-best ground ball rate of 49.1 in 2022, when he finished fifth in WAR.

Gonzalez and Ferguson will join a pen that also features Clay Holmes and Ian Hamilton. They, along with Peralta, ranked in the top 15 in ground ball rate among relievers last season. The average bullpen ground ball rate that year was about 43 percent. percentage of balls.

“They've had a lot of success with these types of pitchers in the past, so the hope is that Gonzalez and Ferguson can continue what they did in Los Angeles and maybe even get a little better.” one of the scouts said.

Hamilton's 55.1 percent in his first season as a Yankee was the best mark of his career.

Jonathan Loaisiga wasn't far behind with a score of 54.7.

Even a depth player like Matt Crook had a ground ball rate of 49.1 percent in the minors in 2023, compared to over 60 percent in previous seasons.

And Yerry De Los Santos, a non-roster invitee who was released by the Pirates at the beginning of the offseason, had a 51.8 batting average in Triple-A last year.

The Yankees and pitching coach Matt Blake have a reputation for getting the most out of bullpen arms that others have not had success with. Hamilton is just one of the latest examples, but Holmes, Peralta, Lucas and Luegge are also examples.