Small Three: Yankees’ Newest Arms Come Up Short In Debuts

That’s not how it was supposed to happen. GM Brian Cashman told the media after the Trade Deadline that he felt the Yankees were in a much better spot than before he traded for Jake Bird, David Bednar and Camilo Doval. Those three arms were supposed to turn the Bombers’ bullpen into a strength.

Well, a funny thing happened. At least for one night, the first night, that wasn’t the case. 

Bird, Bednar and Doval pitched the seventh, eighth and ninth innings for the Yankees against the Marlins down in Miami. 

When Bird came in, he was protecting a 9-4 lead. When he left, the Yankees were clinging to a 9-8 lead, thanks to him surrendering a grand slam to Kyle Stowers. Bednar was next. He came on hoping to protect a 9-8 lead. When he left, it was 10-10. Then came Doval, trying to close things out in the bottom of the ninth after the Yankees retook the lead, 12-10 in the top of the inning. 

San Francisco’s former closer recorded only one out en route to giving up three runs and allowing the Marlins to walk off the Yankees 13-12. 

For good measure, we’ll throw in the continued bad fielding by the Yanks as Jose Caballero made a crucial error in the bottom of the ninth that allowed the tying run to score and the eventual winning run to advance to third base. Caballero is predominantly an infielder, yet due to Paul Goldschmidt being pinch-hit for and Ben Rice being pinch-run for, Cody Bellinger moved from right field to first base, meaning Caballero had to play right field, a position he’s played only 24 previous times in his career. 

That clearly is not what Brian Cashman had in mind when he acquired each of those players at Thursday’s Trade Deadline. In fact, it would be hard for the Yankees’ four newest players to be worse than they were in their debuts. So, hopefully this is just a one-time glitch; otherwise, New York is in serious trouble.