The Yankees have repeatedly built one of the top bullpens in baseball over the last few season. A new rule limiting September roster sizes, however, will cause bullpen-reliant pitching staffs to become more vulnerable heading into the pressure cooker that is the playoffs.
All reports indicate that the Yankees are placing a priority on starting pitching this offseason, with one of the best free agent starting pitching classes in recent years. They must capitalize on this market to preserve a bullpen advantage and protect their high-leverage assets from overuse and overexposure.
Beginning in 2020, teams will no longer be allowed to increase their rosters to 40 players in September.