The Yankees’ bullpen depth is getting tested early, with right-hander Jake Cousins working through a forearm strain as spring training gets underway in Tampa.
Cousins isn’t rushing his return, though he’s keeping Opening Day in his sights. The good news? His UCL looked clean on imaging – a crucial detail given how often forearm issues signal deeper elbow problems.
He’s been shut down from throwing for nearly four weeks now, with a re-evaluation coming up. It’s not ideal timing for the 30-year-old, who’s coming off his best season as a pro.
The Yankees picked up Cousins in a cash deal with the White Sox last March, and he delivered in a big way. He posted career-bests across the board – a 2.37 ERA, 53 strikeouts, and a 1.05 WHIP in 38 innings. And yes, he’s Kirk Cousins’ cousin, if you’re wondering about that last name.
New York’s bullpen is still looking pretty solid on paper. They’ve got Devin Williams closing things out, with strikeout machine Fernando Cruz joining Luke Weaver, Tim Hill, Jonathan Loaisiga, and Ian Hamilton in the mix.
That said, Cousins’ absence creates an opportunity. The Yankees have some interesting arms in camp who could step up and claim those innings while he’s working his way back.
The way things are shaping up, the Yankees might need to tap into that depth sooner rather than later. Its not the start to spring they were hoping for, but having multiple options to cover for injuries is exactly why you build bullpen redundancy in the first place.
