Yankees Secure Vital Role This Spring with Strategic Move
The New York Yankees entered spring with a clearer late-inning plan. General manager Brian Cashman’s limited activity in the relief market effectively set roles for the season.
How roles fell into place
Cashman’s decision to largely avoid bullpen trades and free-agent signings left internal options to rise. A strategic move this spring secured a vital role in the Yankees’ bullpen hierarchy.
With Luke Weaver and Devin Williams off to Flushing, the team promoted from within. David Bednar is now the designated closer after handling the role in 2025.
Camilo Doval: potential and pitfalls
Camilo Doval projects to be the primary setup option behind Bednar. His velocity and movement can make him dominant on any given day.
Control has been the recurring concern. Doval lost a closer job in San Francisco because of command issues.
Recent walk-rate trend
His major-league walk rates show instability. In 2023 Doval’s walk rate was 9.3 percent.
That figure rose to 14.4 percent in 2024, then fell to 12.6 percent in 2025. Such numbers raise sustainability questions over a full season.
Short samples that matter
Spring action and World Baseball Classic work offered promising signs. Combining outings for the Yankees and the Dominican Republic, Doval threw five innings.
He recorded six strikeouts and issued one walk in that small sample. In September he logged 7.1 innings with nine strikeouts, three walks, and four earned runs.
Bullpen context and consequences
The Yankees’ relief unit ranked poorly last year. Their bullpen posted a 4.37 ERA, the eighth-worst mark in baseball.
Teams with worse marks all failed to reach the postseason. Devin Williams’ departure removed a key late-inning piece from the roster.
Why Williams mattered
Williams was instrumental during the late-season surge that challenged the Blue Jays. Paired with Bednar, he formed a reliable late-inning tandem in 2025.
Replacing that production remains a central concern for the club heading into Opening Day.
What needs to happen next
The Yankees will need Doval to improve his command for the setup role to work. If he can cut walks, his elite stuff could solve many late-inning problems.
Bednar’s presence as a steady closer helps. The bullpen’s success will hinge on consistency from Doval and other middle relievers.
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