The Yankees are heading into the trade deadline with a couple of clear needs, and the bullpen is right there near the top of the list.
New York still has to sort out the catching situation, with a right-handed bat behind the plate standing out as a priority. Austin Wells, according to the source, has had an abysmal season. But the other obvious area is relief help, even with David Bednar locking things down over the last month.
The issue is what comes after Bednar. Camilo Doval and Jake Bird, as the source notes, are not dependable choices in high-leverage spots, which leaves the Yankees looking for another arm they can trust in the eighth inning.
One name that has come up is Pete Fairbanks of the Miami Marlins, whom Mike Axisa of CBS Sports identified as a strong trade fit for New York.
"I'm fascinated to see how POBO Peter Bendix handles the trade deadline. Does he stick to the long-term plan and ship out [Sandy] Alcantara ($21 million club option for 2027) and/or Fairbanks (rental)?," wrote Axisa. "Or does he hang onto them and try to get Miami to the postseason?"
Axisa pointed out that Miami’s recent hot streak could push the Marlins toward keeping Fairbanks. Still, the fit for the Yankees is obvious on paper.
The numbers are messy at first glance. Fairbanks has a 7.27 ERA. But the stuff is still there: his fastball is averaging 97.3 mph, and he has struck out 28.8% of the hitters he’s faced.
There’s also a big caveat to that ERA. Fairbanks has given up nine of his 21 earned runs in just three appearances.
Beyond those rough outings, he has built a strong résumé as a closer with the Tampa Bay Rays.
Whether Miami decides to buy or only lightly sell will shape the market, but if the Yankees are willing to look past the ugly ERA, they may find a reliever who can miss bats when October pressure arrives.
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