The New York Yankees could use an additional high-impact bullpen arm for the remainder of the World Series, but hungry fans are going to have to settle for another potential 2025 reclamation project instead.
Fans of the Bronx Bombers know by now that no addition can be overlooked, no matter how small. High-leverage innings are currently being handled by a man with a bowling ball sinker acquired in exchange for a career minor-leaguer (Clay Holmes) and a converted fifth starter whose 2024 contract raised significant eyebrows last winter (Luke Weaver).
The latest addition to Matt Blake’s pitching program brings a 97 MPH heater and a walk-filled 2020 season to the table, but there’s no such thing as a bad minor-league deal, and now Geoff Hartlieb will get to enter the 2025 bullpen picture reinvigorated somehow.
We’re not sure exactly how yet, but that part comes later. Hartlieb signed a minor-league deal with the Yankees this week, which was announced during Game 2 of the World Series.
Yankees Sign Geoff Hartlieb To Minor League Deal https://t.co/k8VV2bTw3J pic.twitter.com/wpZ45dA44O
— MLB Trade Rumors (@mlbtraderumors) October 27, 2024
Yankees sign reliever Geoff Hartlieb to minor-league contract during World Series
Weaver’s option for 2025 will certainly be picked up, but Holmes is extremely likely to depart. So is Tommy Kahnle, who’s earned the type of multi-year deal the Yankees probably won’t feel comfortable surrendering as he ages. Jonathan Loaisiga, injured early in 2024 and still rehabbing, represents this bullpen’s hidden loss. The Yankees need to aim far higher than minor-league flyers this offseason, but still … opportunities abound, and Hartlieb (and similar available pitchers) should be satisfied with the notion that they’ll be given a look (and access to Blake’s teachings).
In other words, expect more Hartlieb-ish pitchers to follow in the right-hander’s footsteps.
The soon-to-be 31-year-old allowed 13 hits and nine earned runs in nine innings for the Colorado Rockies last season, and his finest big-league hour doesn’t look terribly fine at all (22 1/3 innings of 3.63 ERA/5.03 FIP ball in empty stadiums with the ’20 Pirates).
Still, Hartlieb has excellent fastball velocity (87th percentile in last summer’s limited sample), a solid minor-league history (2019 with Triple-A Indy, 2023 with Triple-A Jacksonville), and a heartwarming tale to boot. There’s something both tangible and intangible to work with here.
‘Dear Mom’#Pirates reliever Geoff Hartlieb carried his mother’s memory with him all the way to the majors. On the bill of his baseball cap are her initials, W.J.H. “He has an angel on his shoulder, there’s no doubt,” his father said.https://t.co/nyo2V9wx8s pic.twitter.com/f7brQMUmw1
— Stephen J. Nesbitt (@stephenjnesbitt) May 21, 2019
Add Hartlieb to the binder. Blake has an opportunity to cook once again (though he should demand proven reinforcements this time around, too).
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