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Latest Injuries to Yankees' Pitching Staff Could Force Action Before Deadline

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Kristie Ackert | Last updated Jun 22, 2025 3:04 PM ET

The Yankees are running out of pitching. Again.

On Sunday, they placed swingman Ryan Yarbrough on the injured list with a strained oblique. That move came just days after Yerry De Los Santos was also shelved with right elbow discomfort. While the team believes De Los Santos avoided serious damage, the timing underscores a growing problem.

The Yankees had already had to dip into the bullpen to make Yarbrough a starter with injuries to Gerrit Cole, Luis Gil and Marcus Stroman this season. They had signed Yarbrough as a multi-inning reliever but put him in the rotation when Stroman got injured and Carlos Carrasco did not work out.

The roster can’t absorb much more.

With the trade deadline about six weeks away, the Yankees may have no choice but to shop for relief help. In his latest New York Post column, Jon Heyman identified 12 potential bullpen targets—some more realistic than others.

Among them: Ryan Helsley, a flamethrower with free agency looming; Emmanuel Clase, who hasn’t been dominant but remains a premium arm; and David Bednar, who’s bounced back strong in Pittsburgh.

There are also under-the-radar names like Shelby Miller, Hunter Gaddis, Bryan Baker, and Dennis Santana.

All make sense for the Yankees, but most are on teams that may or may not sell at the deadline.

And that’s part of the issue. Many of these arms play for bubble teams. The Yankees can’t count on supply being available until much closer to July 31.

What’s clear is that their internal options are thinning. Whether it’s a headline-grabbing deal or a mid-tier move, the Yankees will likely need to act. Another injury or two could leave them paper-thin.

They’ve made it this far, patching holes. But with October ambitions in mind, the reinforcements need to come soon.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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