Aside from closer Luke Weaver, the fullback YankeesThe bullpen could look completely different next season.

All the other high-leverage relievers that Yankees manager Aaron Boone relied on most in the postseason are free agents this winter.

Former closer Clay Holmes will seek a multi-year contract, left-hander Tim Hill earned guaranteed money after his impressive second half in pinstripes and veteran Tommy Kahnle quietly had a tremendous year in 2024.

Each of these launchers has showed interest in a meetingbut the Yankees have demonstrated in recent years a willingness and ability to find and utilize cost-effective alternatives, turning trash scraps into late-inning weapons with the help of their elite pitching department.

After all, that’s what they did with Weaver, Holmes and Hill. Jake Cousins ​​​​and Ian Hamilton fit the same description and they will be back in 2025.

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One way the Yankees can strengthen their pen this winter — while devoting most of their offseason budget to signing Juan Soto and others — is through trade.

It’s certainly possible that they invest in a top reliever this winter. They could go after closers like Tanner Scott or Carlos Esteves. This caliber of reliever won’t come cheap. The same goes for the best on the trade market, like Cardinals closer Ryan Helsley and Brewers closer Devin Williams. It will take impactful leads to make this type of acquisition possible.

When it comes to saving – and in this case, prospective capital – the solution might be in San Francisco.

Giants right-hander Camilo Doval is generate commercial interest this winter. Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reported earlier this month that a few teams were in the mix for the right-hander. Some are even considering him for the closer role, a spot he lost during a season to forget with the Giants.

Doval, who was tied for the most saves in the National League (39) in 2023, had a 4.88 ERA in 2024. The same reliever who had a 2.77 ERA over his three early years with the Giants was demoted by San Francisco over the summer. , an attempt to get the right-hander back on track.

Thinking about his bad year, Doval’s value as a trade piece plummeted. In that sense, the Giants could wait to see if the right-hander turns things around next spring. At this point, they can either return him to an important late-round role as they look to contend in a tough division, or capitalize on this push to get more back in a deadline deal commercial.

But if he’s actually available this winter and the Giants are ready to move on, multiple teams will be interested. The arm talent is undeniable, he has three years of arbitration remaining and for the Yankees, he fits the mold of pitchers they tend to target.

Doval’s pitch mix includes a slider, a three-figure cutter and a sinker. His ability to keep the ball on the ground is as elite as it gets. He was in the 98th percentile with a ground ball rate of 60.5 in 2024. Doval is ranked fourth among all pitchers who have thrown more than 200 innings since the start of the 2021 season with a GB rate of 55, 2 percent – ​​Holmes and Hill are ranked. No. 1 and 2 respectively in this ranking.

While his control and quality of contact against him last season are huge red flags, the electricity of his stuff can give the Yankees a real hitting weapon, something they’ve lacked in recent years .

You have to understand that Yankees pitching coach Matt Blake and his staff would love to get their hands on a pitcher like Doval. Perhaps a change of scenery and some adjustments from a team accustomed to getting the most out of all kinds of weapons would be enough to return Doval to his pre-2024 form.

Either way, whether it’s Doval or someone else, the Yankees need to make sure they acquire another high-leverage reliever to join Weaver this winter. A left-handed reliever would also be a good choice. Unless Hill returns for next season, the only left-handed reliever currently on the Yankees roster is Tim Mayza.