With Just Over a Week Left, Boone Admits Yankees’ Bullpen Still Not Solved

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Kristie Ackert | Last updated Sep 17, 2025 5:44 PM ET

The Yankees have just 10 games remaining in the regular season, but manager Aaron Boone conceded Tuesday that one of the team’s most important pieces is still unsettled. Despite having big names and power arms, the normally upbeat Yankees manager admitted they haven’t figured out how to get consistency from the bullpen.

“Obviously, (David) Bednar has kind of cemented himself into closer,” Boone said on MLB Network Radio Wednesday morning. “And then you work from there. The one thing I like about our pen is that we have some complementary pieces. (Fernando) Cruz and (Devin) Williams are capable of getting both handed out, but I do like them a lot against righties. (Luke) Weaver, (Mark) Leiter (Jr.) — more of those neutral, reverse-split guys. And if you can get a right- and left-handed lane for a guy like Tim Hill, he’s horrific against lefties.”

That depth gives Boone options, but also highlights the uncertainty.

Bednar has handled the ninth fairly well, yet the Yankees continue to search for the right combinations leading up to him. “We’ve had some great games closing out games, and then we’ve had some blowups,” Boone admitted. “But I do feel like the talent is there to still really find our stride.”

Williams is the prime example.

His ERA has raised questions, but Boone pointed to numbers that suggest he’s been far more effective than the raw results show. “Eighty percent of the outings have been dominant Devin Williams outings,” Boone said. “It’s just been those occasional blowups that get real noisy.”

Boone added that matchups remain the driving force when he sets his bullpen plan, even this late in the season.

“At the end of the day, you’re letting them rip,” he said. “You’re looking at spots where they’re set up to be the most successful. The reality is it’s very talented, it’s very good. We just got to find that next level of consistency.”

With less than two weeks left, Boone is still tinkering. For all the Yankees’ talent, the bullpen remains a question mark and one that could define their October.

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

More must-reads: