In recent years, the New York Yankees have boasted some of the most effective shutdown closers in baseball, such as Mariano Rivera, who set a franchise record for saves from 1995 to 2013, and Aroldis Chapman, who ranked third in all-time saves from 2016 to 2022.
While the team has lacked a standout closer since then, their bullpen excelled last season, leading the majors with a 3.34 ERA. This was spearheaded by Clay Holmes, who secured 24 saves in 41 appearances. Holmes, whose one-year, $6 million contract with the Yankees expires at the end of the 2024 season, is poised to become a free agent.
Tim Britton of The Athletic has advocated for the Yankees to secure Holmes’s services with a projected four-year, $52 million extension, emphasizing the importance of stability in the bullpen.
Despite offseason pursuits of prominent relievers like Héctor Neris, Ryan Brasier, and Phil Maton, along with an attempt to sign Josh Hader, the bullpen saw turnover, losing Michael King, Wandy Peralta, and Keynan Middleton, while acquiring Jonathan Loáisiga, Caleb Ferguson, and Victor González.
Alongside Holmes, Loáisiga, and González, the Yankees’ bullpen is expected to include Tommy Kahnle and Ian Hamilton, adhering to the team’s philosophy of inducing weak contact, as highlighted by Dan Martin of the New York Post.
Given the persistence of this philosophy, retaining Holmes is crucial for the Yankees’ success in 2024. Failure to do so could see him command a substantial contract elsewhere, as noted by Andrés Chávez of Pinstripe Alley, emphasizing Holmes’s importance in the team’s postseason aspirations.
