The Yankees Bullpen Is Officially Depleted

The pitchers that the Yankees used to have in their bullpen are fleeing… leaving Camilo Doval and Dave Bednar to take care it of by themselves.  And where is Brian Cashman?  I assuming in the fetal position in the center of his bed in a dark room.  Why do I picture this? Because there is literally no excuse for the General Manager of the biggest, strongest franchise in baseball history to be sitting on his hands and not spending a dime or even TRYING to retain talent to be on the Yankees. Which means only one thing; the Beast of the Bronx is done.  We are no longer scary, dominant, strong or intimidating.  We are the Marlins of the Northeast, and it’s the worst I’ve seen this team since 1990.  What the hell are we doing as an organization? I am being serious. Tell me. 

The Braves made it official on Friday: right-hander Ian Hamilton is heading to Atlanta on a one-year, non-guaranteed deal. Another former Yankee, another fresh start, another reminder that the Bronx bullpen is slowly turning into a ghost town.

Hamilton spent the 2025 season wearing pinstripes, logging 36 appearances and a 4.28 ERA over 40 innings. The numbers don’t exactly leap off the page, but anyone who actually watched knows Hamilton’s story with the Yankees isn’t told by a single stat line. This is the same guy who came out of absolutely nowhere in 2023, armed with that funky “Slambio” pitch, and somehow turned himself into a legitimate setup option. No hype, no pedigree—just results. For a while, he was one of the rare bullpen surprises that actually worked.

Then came the injuries. Then came the roster shuffling. Then came the classic Yankees ending: a non-tender in late 2025 and a quiet exit out the side door.

Now Hamilton is gone, too—joining the long parade of relievers who once filled the Yankees bullpen and now populate everyone else’s. If you’re keeping score at home, that bullpen is looking less like a strength and more like a clearance rack.

Was I ever banging the table for the return Ian Hamilton? No, but that’s not the point. But I understood what he brought. He worked. He competed. He showed up. He was solid, he was respected in the room, and—this part matters—he was a body. A usable, capable body in a bullpen that is currently running on fumes.

The Yankees are depleted, folks. This isn’t dramatic, and it’s not nitpicking. It’s reality. Arms keep leaving, replacements don’t keep coming, and the plan—if there is one—remains invisible. 

Hamilton landing with the Braves isn’t a franchise-altering move, but it’s another small, annoying reminder that the Yankees keep letting useful pieces walk… and there’s no clear end in sight.