Yankees showing interest in controllable bullpen weapon this deadline

The New York Yankees have displayed interest in acquiring bullpen arm Jake Bird of the Colorado Rockies, according to Brendan Kuty of The Athletic.

Jake Bird has a 4.05 ERA for the Rockies this season with a 3.09 FIP, as his strong strikeout rates and high groundball rates are indications that he could get even better in the second-half.

The right-hander has an elite sinker-sweeper combination with a strong curveball that has allowed him to be more effective against left-handed hitters.

With control through the 2028 season, Bird would immediately bolster the pitching staff not just for now, but for the future as well.

Why the Yankees Are Displaying Interest in Jake Bird

Jake Bird may have a 4.05 ERA, but in Coors Field, that’s ~10% better than the league average, and his underlying data is truly brilliant.

He has a 17.7% K-BB% and 47.9% GB%, making him above-average in both categories, and the ERA estimators believe he’s a brilliant reliever.

Statcast’s Expected ERA factors in strikeout rates and damage contact allowed, and his xERA is in the 75th Percentile among MLB pitchers.

The big reason for his discrepancy in ERA and underlying metrics has to due with a .352 BABIP, likely a product of a poor Rockies’ defense and a ballpark that allows a ton of hits.

Colorado has a league-worst -61 Defensive Runs Saved as a team, and if the Yankees could take their newly-improved infield defense and put it behind Jake Bird, he could be excellent.

More groundballs turn into outs, double plays get made more often, and Bird’s nasty repertoire can get even better working with the Yankees’ pitching lab.

He has the highest Stuff+ score of any Rockies’ pitcher (min. 50 IP) at 116 this season, a metric that started being tracked back in 2020.

The Yankees want a controllable bullpen arm and might add a starter, but Jake Bird would be a huge step in the right direction for this roster.