The Yankees’ payroll might look like a Wall Street spreadsheet, but their September feels more like bankruptcy court. Aaron Judge still swings like a one-man bailout, yet even he can’t paper over Giancarlo Stanton’s strikeouts or Cody Bellinger’s vanishing act. Then against the Twins, New York’s expected muscle produced silence, leaving Carlos Rodon’s effort wasted. And in baseball’s cruel economy, a wrong someone paid the bill.

The New York Yankees have not been good this season, even with the offense doing a decent job. But against the Twins, the whole team went missing. While the offense could show up in other games, the bullpen has looked inconsistent the whole season. So, a recent ESPN article called out the weak link in the team.

ESPN named Devin Williams the biggest failure for the Yankees and the reason why the Yankees have not done well.
Bradford Doolittle wrote in the article, “In his first Yankees season, he has given up 33 earned runs in 61 games with a 5.30 ERA…. strikeout rate down around 5% off his career figure and 10% from last year… just hasn’t been the same pitcher… as the season has progressed… numbers just keep getting worse.”

The Yankees’ trip to Minnesota began with a dud, their offense freezing in a 7-0 shutout.

Jose Caballero’s miscues at shortstop opened the door early, but Simeon Woods Richardson’s slider-splitter mix slammed it shut. The right-hander carved through New York’s lineup for a career-high 11 strikeouts, making every at-bat look hopeless. Carlos Rodon gave the Yankees six sturdy innings, yet Luke Weaver’s disastrous seventh completely buried any faint comeback hopes.

That offensive blackout, though, was an exception, because the lineup has actually produced.

Over their last ten contests, the Yankees have piled up 33 runs, showing fight despite recurring slumps. Aaron Judge continues crushing with historic consistency, often giving the team early leads before the bullpen squanders momentum. But the Minnesota loss underscores timing more than trend, since the real culprit lately has been relentless pitching collapses.

During that same ten-game stretch, the bullpen has hemorrhaged 54 runs, including 23 against Detroit alone. Devin Williams embodies the implosion, once viewed as an elite closer but now unraveling in high-pressure spots. His ERA ballooned to 5.44 after four consecutive outings with damage, capped by homers and blown saves against Texas. A pitcher who once struck out nearly forty percent of hitters is now barely scraping thirty percent effectiveness.

This isn’t merely a cold streak; it’s a flashing red light for a team chasing October relevance. The Yankees cling to a wild card slot, but no offense can continuously erase bullpen disasters. Williams’ decline, paired with inconsistent arms like Weaver and Doval, leaves Aaron Boone with few trustworthy late-game options. Even Judge’s record-breaking season will mean little if blown leads remain the Bronx Bombers’ defining September storyline.

If the Yankees want to survive October, they must stop turning their bullpen into a comedy of errors. Devin Williams can’t keep playing the role of the fall guy, plus Luke Weaver’s lapses only compound the problem. The Twins showed what happens when the Yankees’ flaws collide with pressure—and October won’t be any kinder.

Williams and Volpe are struggling, but there is a little shimmer of hope for Volpe

Anthony Volpe and Devin Williams have felt the unforgiving spotlight firsthand—one flailing at the plate, the other tagged by ESPN as a “weak link.” Yet even amid the boos, there’s a faint glimmer that Volpe might still find his footing

In the Bronx, Anthony Volpe has felt the unforgiving glare of expectation, struggling to keep pace. His batting average mostly teeters below .200, while even his reliable glove shows cracks under pressure. Once a top-tier prospect, comparisons to Derek Jeter only magnified the weight on young shoulders. The Yankees, accustomed to instant results, are now watching patience and potential clash in live action.

But now, Volpe’s minor league brilliance hints at untapped tools and flashes of skill. His power-focused approach produced extraordinary extra-base hits, suggesting that a refined swing could spark offensive life. With targeted coaching, Volpe might transform ordinary contact into consistent production, reclaiming confidence with every hard-hit ball. Even in struggle, glimpses of resilience remind the Yankees that talent, when nurtured, rarely disappears completely.

Harnessing Volpe’s potential strategically could provide a subtle yet decisive edge in tight matchups. Pairing his development with calculated lineups might offset weaknesses exposed by players like Devin Williams. The Yankees can balance patience with aggression, exploiting Volpe’s growth while protecting him from prolonged slumps.

If the New York Yankees play their cards wisely, Volpe could turn whispered doubts into headline-making rallies. Even Devin Williams, ESPN’s scapegoat, might find cover behind a resurgent shortstop’s sparks of brilliance. Baseball, after all, rewards patience as much as power—and the Bronx isn’t short on both. For now, the city can keep its boos ready, but Volpe’s glimmer might just rewrite the script.