SAN FRANCISCO — So far, the bullpen help the Yankees were looking for at last year’s trade deadline has been significantly more effective this season than it was in 2025.
Not only has Camilo Doval been sharp in his first two appearances this year after a rough few months in The Bronx, but Jake Bird has also looked like a different pitcher.
The right-hander got five huge outs in Saturday’s 3-1 win to finish a sweep of the Giants at Oracle Park.
Before Saturday, Bird hadn’t pitched a scoreless inning in a victory since June 29.de
That was due in part to how bad the Rockies were when he was there, but also to how poorly he pitched over his final six weeks in Colorado and in his short time with the Yankees before he was sent down to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
“It’s good to have a fresh start,’’ Bird said.
He needed one.
Aaron Boone said throughout the spring that if Bird had his command, he would be a weapon for the Yankees.
Against the Giants, he entered in the bottom of the sixth with the Yankees up by a pair of runs.
Brent Headrick had just allowed a leadoff double to Rafael Devers.
Bird gave up a single to Heliot Ramos to send Devers to third.
But Bird recovered to strike out Willy Adames and then got Harrison Bader to ground into an inning-ending double play to preserve the lead.
The right-hander came back out to start the seventh, getting Patrick Bailey to pop out to shortstop and striking out Casey Schmitt before Boone turned to Tim Hill to finish the inning.
Boone called Bird’s escape job “awesome.”
“He finished spring training strong and both of his outings [in the regular season] have been really sharp,’’ the manager said.
With Doval unavailable, Boone said the pen had to “piece it together” after Will Warren pitched well, but was done after 4 ¹/₃ innings.
The potential emergence of Bird in the bullpen would be huge for a team that lost Devin Williams and Luke Weaver in free agency — and is relying on Bird and Doval, among others, to pitch to their potential.
Doval clearly struggled to adjust to a new role when the closer was asked to pitch in lower-leverage innings last year.
Bird was in the midst of a horrific stretch to end his time with the Rockies when the Yankees acquired him.
He allowed 18 earned runs in 9 ²/₃ innings in his final 12 appearances and gave up six runs over two innings in three outings with the Yankees before he was optioned.
The Yankees were intrigued by Bird’s ability to strike out batters — if they could get him to reduce his walks.
His first two outings of 2026 have been promising, with three strikeouts and no walks — and with Boone not afraid to use Bird in an important spot.
“To get him going through a whole season would be electric,’’ Aaron Judge said.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: nypost.com
