The New York Yankees’ bullpen had a very good year, even though some of the expected contributors, such as Darren O’Day and Zack Britton, had injury issues or underperformed, like Aroldis Chapman for large stretches. However, it could have been even better.
“Could have been” is the key phrase here. Because it wasn’t. Garrett Whitlock, a Yankees’ farmhand, was left unprotected in last year’s Rule 5 Draft, and the Boston Red Sox, a team that wasn’t expected to go as far as they did, took a chance on him.
Whitlock was a breath of fresh air for the Yankees’ rivals.