The Yankees and Red Sox are heading into the Wild Card Series with bullpens that suddenly look a lot less bulletproof than they did a few weeks ago.
On paper, these were supposed to be two of the strongest relief groups in baseball. Instead, both clubs are dealing with the same ugly mix of injuries and late-season regression, and that could make the back end of this series feel anything but stable.
For the Yankees, the latest blow is Fernando Cruz being transferred to the 60-day IL. Cruz had been one of their best bullpen arms in the first half before a rough stretch and a partial UCL tear ended his 2026 season.
New York also appears unlikely to have Clarke Schmidt available out of the bullpen. Schmidt was placed back on the IL after making only one appearance following his return from Tommy John surgery, and he had been lined up as a potential middle-relief option for Aaron Boone.
Boston’s relief corps has taken hits too. On September 27, the Red Sox placed Tyron Guerrero on the IL with a shoulder strain.
Guerrero, 35, had been having a strong season before August turned on him, and that injury update ended his postseason hopes. The Red Sox also won’t have Justin Slaten, whose right elbow inflammation knocked him out in mid-August.
Slaten had been working with dominant stuff during his breakout, even while allowing an ugly 10.1 hits per nine in 2026, but he likely won’t pitch again this year.
That leaves both managers trying to piece together high-leverage innings without full-strength depth.
The Yankees have leaned heavily on David Bednar and Paul Blackburn in the second half, and both have delivered. Brent Headrick, though, has shown signs of fading. Brendan Kuty of The Athletic first noted that Headrick’s average fastball velocity has been dropping steadily in the second half, and it dipped even further in his September 20 outing against the Arizona Diamondbacks, when his heater averaged just 92.9 mph, more than a full mph below his season mark.
Headrick has thrown 78 1/3 innings this season, a workload he hasn’t really seen since his starter days. He logged 108 1/3 innings in the minors with the Twins in 2022 and 100 2/3 between the minors and majors in ’23. Whether the dip is simple fatigue or the result of a heavier bullpen role remains unclear, but the Yankees can’t love what they’re seeing.
Boston has its own warning signs. Garrett Whitlock and Aroldis Chapman still give the Red Sox a dangerous late-game duo, but LHP Erik Miller has had a brutal September.
In 7.1 innings this month, he’s allowed six earned runs while striking out nine and walking nine. That’s not the kind of balance a team wants in October.
There are still a few names who could matter if the series gets messy. Tanner Houck made his first start in more than a year against the Chicago Cubs on September 27, and if Boston adds him to the postseason roster, he could be asked to cover an inning or two out of the bullpen. Garrett Crochet also appears likely to be available in relief after spending nearly the entire season on the shelf.
The Yankees may have a similar wild card of their own in Ryan Weathers. He could be used against left-handed bats like Roman Anthony and Wilyer Abreu, and he hasn’t pitched since August 22.
Still, his recent bullpen session reportedly looked encouraging, with Weathers touching 96 mph. After what was described as his best season as a pro, he could become one of the more interesting bullpen options in the series.
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