The Jake Bird Trade Already Looks Like a Miss for the Yankees

Bird’s sweeper ranks among the elite, landing in the 88th percentile in run value, and yielding a 33 %+ whiff rate, making it one of the most effective breaking pitches in MLB. His curveball and slider aren’t far behind: both boast 35–38% whiff rates over significant samples and collectively generate roughly seven runs above average per 100 pitches.

However, the fastball is the issue for Bird. His heater lacks both vertical ride and horizontal run, sitting in a "dead zone" that MLB hitters feast on. Given Josh Jung's known profile, Bird's recent outing was painfully predictable. It's likely he's headed to Triple-A to rework the fastball into a sinker or splitter.

Bird was acquired for prospects Roc Riggio and Ben Shields, a steep price for a reliever who was never a lock to succeed immediately. While there's still upside to tap into, the early return paints a clear picture: this was never a plug-and-play fix. It was a long shot, and five days in, it already looks like a mess.