The New York Yankees have been one of the strongest teams this season and look like they could finally break the 16-year drought. But they will have to make some improvements, and with the Trade Deadline arriving, the Yankees are being asked to add some quality bullpen arms, especially after the recent loss.

“I want an impact arm at the end of the game…. I want to have big arms in the 6th, 7th, 8th, and 9th innings for the Yankees,” said Steve Phillips on the latest interview with MLB Radio.

Steve Phillips believes the Yankees do not have a rotation problem, especially given that their starters consistently go over 5 innings. But he says the real issue lies in the bullpen, especially in close games that go into the late innings. He believes those moments will decide how far the Yankees go this season.

And the White Sox game was a perfect example of this.

Camilo Doval gave up a grand slam to Andrew Benintendi on the first pitch. Fernando Cruz allowed a double before Tim Hill hit two batters. All this happened just in the eighth inning.

After that, the Yankees fell behind and lost the game 5-1. It showed how quickly late innings can fall apart under pressure.

The Yankees bullpen currently has a 3.33 ERA, which ranks 4 in MLB. They allow just 0.82 home runs per nine innings, which ranks 5 in MLB. But the strikeout rate of 8.73 Ks per nine ranks them 14 in the league.

The Yankees have already lost 12 games this season due to late blown leads.

They also sit around 11th in the league in blown saves this year. Doval holds a 5.08 ERA with left-handed hitters batting .368 against him. Bednar and Cruz have had good stretches but still lack consistency in key moments. Like the game against the White Sox, where Cruz gave up a run in 0.2 innings.

That mix has made the bullpen, especially in late games, a bit less dependable than usual.

Because of this, late-inning arms become the real focus for the Yankees. The White Sox’s loss showed how one inning can change everything instantly. The team may have enough starters but not enough trust in tight games. Steve Phillips says that the gap is what will hurt them in October. And right now, that warning still feels very real.

Here are 3 names the Yankees can add to help them in the back end of the game

David Bednar, Jake Bird, and Mark Leiter Jr. have failed to lock down consistent late innings. This has left the Yankees exposed in close games where every pitch matters. The reality is simple: this bullpen is not built for a deep October run.

So there are a few names that Brian Cashman can add to make their team dependable in late games, especially when they are close.

The first name is Kenley Jansen. Jansen is one of the names the Yankees could turn to for stability. He has 483 career saves and a 2.20 ERA across 59 postseason appearances.

He has closed games in pressure situations for years and understands October baseball better than most relievers. The Yankees could use him in the ninth inning or even earlier in tight spots. If added, he could be the final piece that brings calm to chaotic late innings.

The second name on the list is Kevin Ginkel. Ginkel brings a different kind of solution with control and consistency.

He carries a 2.60 ERA this season with a 28.6% strikeout rate that ranks him as one of the best strong bullpen arms in the league. His slider has held hitters to a .136 average and produced a 44.2% whiff rate. He also delivered 10 straight scoreless innings during Arizona’s 2023 playoff run.

For the Yankees, he fits as a steady setup arm who can handle high-leverage moments at any point in the game.

The last name on the list is Pete Fairbanks. Fairbanks is the high-risk, high-reward option in this group.

His 6.75 ERA with Miami shows a rough season filled with inconsistency and injury. But his fastball still sits at 97.2 mph, and his slider has a 57.1% whiff rate. This changes the game. He has spent years facing AL East hitters and understands those matchups very well.

If he finds rhythm again, he could become a dangerous late-inning weapon.

Right now, the Yankees’ bullpen does not look like a championship unit. Every option brings something different, from Jansen’s experience to Ginkel’s control to Fairbanks’ raw power.

Any one of them would raise the floor of this bullpen in the very first game. Without a move like this, the late innings, especially in close games, could remain the Yankees’ biggest weakness when it matters most.