Yankees Add Leiter Jr. to the Bullpen Family Legacy

In a surprising move, the New York Yankees have acquired right-handed reliever Leiter Jr. from the Chicago Cubs. This adds a unique chapter to the family’s long-standing connection with the Yankees, as he will be the third member to wear the iconic pinstripes, following in the footsteps of his father, Mark Sr., and uncle, Al.

Leiter Jr., who is 33 years old, was brought in as part of a deal that included two Yankees prospects: right-hander Jack Neely, who caught the eye of scouts, and infielder Ben Cowles, a promising player in the minors.

During his time with the Cubs, Leiter Jr. recorded a 2-4 win-loss record and a 4.21 ERA, appearing in 39 games. He showcased his talent by striking out 53 batters in just over 36 innings, achieving an impressive strikeout rate that put him among the league’s leaders. His ability to get batters out quickly is something the Yankees’ bullpen has been missing this season.

Notably, since returning from the injured list on July 9, Leiter Jr. has been on fire, retiring all 23 batters he’s faced in his last seven appearances. That’s a total of 14 strikeouts in just 7.2 innings – quite the comeback!

What’s more, opponents have really struggled against his splitter, managing to hit just 3 out of 57 times. He’s also been effective against left-handed batters, holding them to a low batting average in his career.

As the Trade Deadline approaches, the Yankees appear to be focused on enhancing their bullpen, rotation, and possibly the corner infield. In addition to this trade, they also made some adjustments by sending left-hander Caleb Ferguson to the Astros for a prospect and some international bonus money.

Yankees captain Aaron Judge shared his thoughts after a recent game, expressing hope that the team will make more moves to strengthen their roster as they see other teams making trades.