With the playoffs nearing, Sunday’s 2-0 Yankees victory offered a likely preview of their bullpen formula: one inning apiece from Brent Headrick, Paul Blackburn and David Bednar.
Yankees followers have already seen plenty of that trio this season, and the approach has paid off.
The question, however, is whether the club can maintain that workload. Headrick has appeared in more games than any pitcher in the majors and entered Sunday ranked ninth among MLB relievers with 73 ¹/₃ innings pitched.
Blackburn ranked fifth with 76 ²/₃ relief innings, while Bednar’s 64 ¹/₃ innings trailed only Cleveland’s Cade Smith among closers after Sunday’s win.
Before the game, Aaron Boone said he would “prefer a little lighter load along the way” for some of his high-leverage relievers. Still, he said the Yankees have tried in recent weeks to trim their usage and give them “a bit of a reset.”
Yet with New York chasing the Rays in the AL East and trying to stay ahead of the Red Sox for the top AL wild-card spot, Boone acknowledged the balance required. “Still got to be disciplined not overusing them, even when it’s the most critical game,” he said. “They’re all ready to roll. Any time we have a chance to win a game, I’m gonna go to them.”
That strategy delivered again on Sunday, when Headrick, Blackburn and Bednar combined for three scoreless innings behind a brilliant outing from Cam Schlittler.
ALSO READ: Australian HYROX Racer Defies Race Accident, Silences Haters
Blackburn, now in his first full year as a reliever, said adapting to the demands of bullpen work has taken time. But he believes he is equipped to pitch often through the season’s final stretch and into October.
“Mentally, that’s where we are and what we believe in,’’ Blackburn said. “We’ll probably pitch every day in the playoffs. We’re ready for that, and that’s a good thing for us. It’s not gonna surprise us. We know how to go out there with whatever we’ve got that day.”
Headrick, who has developed into the Yankees’ top left-handed bullpen option this season, pointed to his offseason work — getting stronger while sharpening his secondary off-speed pitches — as a key reason for his improved performances.
“To be able to contribute all season long is something we’re proud of as a group,’’ Headrick said. “We know all these games are a mini-test for the postseason, but we don’t look ahead to the end of the year. We just want to keep going.”
As pitching coach Matt Blake has noted, the Yankees have emphasized giving pitchers complete days off from throwing in an effort to keep them fresh for when it matters most.
He’s aware the plan might not work and they’ll only know at the end of the year.
But Sunday was another outing in which they got just what they wanted.