The New York Yankees are on the verge of what could become a significant offseason shake-up in their bullpen.
As the November 22 non-tender deadline approaches, multiple arbitration-eligible relievers find their futures in New York in jeopardy, including Mark Leiter Jr., Jake Cousins, Ian Hamilton, and Scott Effross.
According to reports from The Athletic’s Chris Kirschner, the team is leaning toward non-tendering these arms in a bid to create payroll flexibility for 2026.
Evaluating the candidates
From a performance standpoint, each reliever presents a unique case, and the organization’s hesitancy to commit to arbitration suggests they believe risk outweighs reward.
Mark Leiter Jr. arrived from theChicago Cubs with promise but struggled following his August return from a leg injury. He logged 70 innings and allowed 38 earned runs after the trade.
The one redeeming factor: his elite peripherals. His average exit velocity was 87.2 mph, his hard-hit rate 33.3 percent, and barrel rate 5.6 percent, all strong marks for a reliever.
But with his arbitration projection around $3 million (per MLB Trade Rumors), the Yankees may believe the cost outweighs the upside.
Jake Cousins tapped into big-moment potential during the 2024 postseason, specifically his 1.1 innings appearance in Game 5 of the ALCS that helped the Yankees repel the Cleveland Guardians.
His regular season was strong (ERA 2.37 in 2024), but looming is the concern of long-term health. He’s recently recovering from elbow surgery and may not pitch in 2025.
He’s recently recovering from elbow surgery and may not pitch in 2025. Given the Yankees‘ depth at the back end of the bullpen and the uncertainty around his availability, non-tendering becomes a logical cost-cutting move.
Ian Hamilton emerged out of nowhere in 2023 and played a key role in the bullpen. His 2.64 ERA and 2.82 FIP in that season were impressive.
However, 2025 told a different story: 36 outings, 40 innings, a 4.28 ERA, and his demotion to Triple-A, where he struggled with command.
The arbitration projection for Hamilton was just under $1 million, but his trajectory does not inspire confidence.
Scott Effross is perhaps the most injured member of this group. Acquired in the same trade that brought Leiter to New York, he has done little since arriving due to his own health issues.
He remains under team control but has been missing most of the season and faces uncertain effectiveness.
Implications for the Yankees’ bullpen
This cluster of potential cuts signals a shift in how the Yankees view their relief pitching strategy.
Budgetary context adds clarity. MLB Trade Rumors projected salaries for arbitration-eligible relievers: Leiter around $3 million, Hamilton $941,000, Cousins $841,000, Effross $800,000.
In a market where even low six-figure figures matter for relief depth, the Yankees appear ready to gamble on younger, cheaper arms.
What this means is that several relievers who were once valued members of the bullpen now find themselves on tenuous ground. If the Yankees act on their inclinations, free agency looms for all four men.
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