The New York Yankees have prioritized strengthening their bullpen this offseason, starting by parting ways with former closer Clay Holmes. Holmes, who struggled in 2024 with 13 blown saves, signed with the New York Mets in free agency. In his place, the Yankees retained Luke Weaver, who took over the closer role in September and excelled with four saves, three wins, and a hold across nine appearances that month.
To further bolster their bullpen, the Yankees made a significant trade, sending starter Nestor Cortes, infielder Caleb Durbin, and cash to the Milwaukee Brewers in exchange for two-time All-Star closer Devin Williams. With Williams as the new closer, Weaver returns to his role as the primary setup man, forming a formidable back-end duo.
However, the Yankees are still looking to add another shutdown reliever to solidify their bullpen. According to longtime MLB insider Jon Heyman, left-handed pitchers Andrew Chafin and Tim Hill are high on the Yankees’ list of potential targets, highlighting their intent to shorten games even further.
Twins Fireballer Comes at Lower Price Than Chafin
Andrew Chafin split his 2024 season between the Detroit Tigers and Texas Rangers, recording a 3.51 ERA with 70 strikeouts across 56 1/3 innings. While effective, Chafin is 34 and would require a financial commitment similar to the $4.75 million contract he earned last season. Tim Hill, also 34, pitched for the Yankees in 2024 but was allowed to enter free agency. Hill’s low strikeout numbers—just 18 in 44 innings—make him a less likely fit for a bullpen increasingly focused on swing-and-miss capability.
An intriguing alternative is Minnesota Twins flamethrower Jhoan Duran, a 26-year-old Dominican right-hander known for his electric velocity. Duran made waves in 2023 by throwing five pitches clocked at 104 mph or more. Younger and less expensive than Chafin, Duran is set to earn $1.77 million in 2025, with his arbitration figure for 2026 projected at around $3.7 million.
Adding Duran would provide the Yankees with another dominant bullpen arm at a more team-friendly cost, aligning with their emphasis on high-strikeout relief options. His availability on the trade market presents a tantalizing opportunity for New York to further fortify its pitching staff.
Twins Proved Their Willingness to Deal Duran
The Minnesota Twins have shown a willingness to trade Jhoan Duran, with reports indicating that the Los Angeles Dodgers inquired about him at the 2024 trade deadline. However, the Twins’ asking price was too high for the Dodgers, who offered minor league prospects, while Minnesota sought major league-ready players.
Although there were concerns about a drop in Duran’s velocity last season, his four-seam fastball still averaged an impressive 100.6 mph, demonstrating his dominant arm. The Yankees would likely need to give up major league assets to acquire Duran, but with their deep roster, they have expendable pieces, particularly in the pitching staff. Right-hander Clarke Schmidt, for example, could be seen as tradeable now that the Yankees have signed Max Fried from the Atlanta Braves.
To acquire Duran, the Yankees would need to add more to the deal, but given Duran’s relatively low cost and potential to further solidify their bullpen, it seems like a worthwhile investment. A deeper bullpen could alleviate some of the pressure on the Yankees’ expensive starting rotation, making the addition of Duran a strong possibility.
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