Yankees non-tender trio of relievers after disappointing seasons

A trio of former New York Yankees relievers hit free agency Friday after being non-tendered by the club.

Those three were Ian Hamilton, Jake Cousins and Mark Leiter Jr. Each of the three are now eligible to sign with any other team after posting disappointing seasons in New York.

Hamilton spent the previous three seasons with the Yankees and got progressively worse each year. His ERA climbed from 2.64 in 2023 to 3.82 in 2024 and finally to 4.28 this season. Along with the inflated ERA, his walk/9 ratio got worse, as did his K/9 ratio.

Cousins had an extremely solid 2024 season, posting a 2.37 ERA across 37 appearances. Injuries kept him off the mound all of last season, ultimately costing him his job in the Yankees bullpen. He'll be an intriguing piece for another club after not having pitched in over a year.

Leiter was acquired from the Chicago Cubs at the 2024 trade deadline and his time in New York was abysmal. He posted a 4.98 ERA in the second half of that season. He followed that up in 2025 with a 4.84 ERA and 17 walks across 59 appearances and just 48 1/3 innings pitched.

Each of the three had their big-time moments in the Bronx, but it was ultimately the bad that outweighed the good and sent all three to free agency.

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