The Bronx bullpen finds itself in a strange position. A relentless early-season schedule has taxed its arms, resulting in manager Aaron Boone facing a difficult decision. Here’s what it is: squeeze every out possible from his relievers and risk injury. OR prioritize their health and potentially sacrifice victories in the short term. What will this dilemma lead to? 

During the New York Yankees’ recent 11-inning loss to the Milwaukee Brewers, Boone’s decision to hold back Clay Holmes has kindled a debate. The Yankees’ bullpen woes stem from a string of injuries and many players are on the injured list. It is this lack of depth that forced Boone to rely greatly on his remaining arms. Even if that meant, a greater risk of fatigue and overuse injuries.

Key relievers like Nick Burdi who is recovering from a right hip inflammation and Jonathan Loaisiga who underwent a UCL surgery are already on the injured list. Other names such as Tommy Kahnle who had his shoulder injured never even made it out of spring training. In this sea of uncertainty, Clay Holmes has shown up as a beacon of consistency. 

He’s been almost flawlessly pitching 13 scoreless innings to start the season. His dominant performance in the bottom of the ninth against Milwaukee i.e. three outs on 0 pitches solidified his status as the Yankees’ closer further. 

Clay Holmes Is a Beacon of Consistency for the New York Yankees Indicates Aaron Boone 

However, Boone’s decision to go with a different reliever in the extra innings raised eyebrows.  While the move ultimately backfired, Boone’s reasoning is clear – ensuring that Holmes’ long-term health remains in control. With the bullpen already depleted, Boone fears overworking Holmes could lead to a potentially season-ending injury. 

Boone said, “[Holmes] is on about an 80-game pace in April, and with some of the attrition we’ve had in our bullpen, wasn’t going to send the closer out for — I’ll do four outs this time of year and those kind of things, but wasn’t going to send him out for a second inning,” 

With that, he highlighted the unsustainable workload Holmes would shoulder if used in both the ninth and tenth innings. This talks about the sentiment of many MLB managers who are increasing caution with their pitchers. The managers are prioritizing long-term health over short-term gains in a grueling 162-game season.

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Boone’s call on Clay reflects the delicate balancing act managers face. Not only are they only tasked with winning games now but also also building a roster that can contend throughout the long season. Boone’s effective use of his pitching staff and the development of young bullpen arms will be crucial to their success. The Yankees’ ability to navigate this challenge will be a key to their overall depth and strategy.