Sep 6, 2025; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees pitcher David Bednar (53) reacts after winning against the Toronto Blue Jays at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images John Jones-Imagn Images

Yankees Bullpen Plays Unexpected Hero in Crucial Moment

Originally posted on New York Yankees on SI
By Jack Markowski | Last updated Sep 7, 2025 7:15 AM ET

With their hopes of winning the AL East for the third time in the last four seasons hanging in the balance, the New York Yankees' bullpen came up clutch in the second game of their series against the Toronto Blue Jays.

Following a lopsided 7-1 loss in the first game of the set, Luis Gil helped get the Yankees back on track by allowing just a single earned run over six innings while having to contend with a rain delay.

New York led the contest 3-1 once he officially departed the contest in the top of the seventh inning, and that score would hold over the final three frames as the club trimmed its deficit in the division back down to three games.

Luke Weaver and Fernando Cruz combined to shut out the Blue Jays in the seventh, with the latter staying in until David Bednar was called on for a four-out save in the eighth inning.

Thomas Shea-Imagn Images

Cruz, who has been a revelation for the Yankees since coming over from the Cincinnati Reds in an offseason trade, stated that all the members of the team's bullpen have settled into their roles and have the potential to shut down opposing offenses on an everyday basis.

“That’s really hard to do,’’ he said, per the New York Post's Dan Martin. “As soon as we flip the switch that we need to go, it’s gonna be scary. … I don’t think there’s a bullpen better than us. If you put the names together, it’s impossible. We just need to come together and identify who needs to pitch [and] when and it’s over. It’s gonna be a short game.”

Bednar, a two-time All-Star closer with the Pittsburgh Pirates who was dealt to New York at this year's deadline, echoed a similar sentiment.

“After the deadline, we’re settling in more now,’’ he said. “The group we have down there is really special. They’re really talented guys.”

The Yankees' bullpen hasn't been sharp during the second half with a 4.68 ERA, though there's reason to believe the unit will continue turning things around heading into the postseason.

Devin Williams' struggles since arriving in New York this past offseason have been well-documented, as the two-time National League Reliever of the Year is boasting an unsightly 5.60 ERA across 53 innings, but he also owns a 2.95 FIP and has proven himself capable of pitching important innings in the past.

Camilo Doval is in a similar boat, as the former All-Star has pitched to a 4.97 ERA since the Yankees acquired him from the San Francisco Giants at the deadline.

However, if both he and Williams can get back on track while the likes of Bednar, Cruz and Luke Weaver remain effective in late-game situations, the Yankees' bullpen could be an absolute nightmare to face down the stretch of the regular season and into the playoffs.

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