Yankees’ bullpen issues resurface despite victory

The New York Yankees snapped a two-game skid Tuesday night, defeating the Minnesota Twins 10-9. Trent Grisham powered the offense amid his career year, hitting his 31st home run of the season and driving in three runs.

The Yankees nearly squandered an early lead as the bullpen faltered again. After jumping ahead 10-1 through four innings, New York’s pitching staff gave up eight runs over the final five frames, five of them in relief.

Ryan Yarbrough was the main culprit, allowing four runs on four hits while recording just one out. David Bednar surrendered a ninth-inning homer to Trevor Larnach before hanging on to earn the save in the one-run win.

Since the All-Star break, the Yankees’ bullpen has posted a 5.49 ERA. On the season, their 4.61 mark ranks eighth highest in the majors and is the worst among teams in postseason contention.

General manager Brian Cashman tried to shore up the unit at the trade deadline, acquiring Bednar from Pittsburgh and Camilo Doval from San Francisco. But both closers have posted higher ERAs with New York in the second half than they did with their former clubs earlier in the year.

The same could be said for Jake Bird. Picked up from Colorado, he gave up six runs in two innings before being demoted to Triple-A. He has yet to return to the big-league roster.

The Yankees do benefit from a favorable closing stretch, with seven games against the Baltimore Orioles, three against the Chicago White Sox and one more against the Twins.

Although the Yankees' bullpen struggles may not prevent them from making the playoffs, these issues could hinder their progress deep into October.