When the Yankees opened the 2026 season worried about their bullpen, Brent Headrick was not supposed to be the arm carrying it. Headrick, claimed off waivers from the Twins late last season, has instead become one of the busiest pitchers in the majors and one of the most reliable.
Through the Yankees' first 24 games, Headrick had appeared in 14 of them, tied for the major league lead at that point, and allowed only two runs. That workload came on the same club that lost Devin Williams and Luke Weaver in free agency to the Mets and chose not to make notable additions to the relief corps before opening day. The early returns have left little doubt about how quickly Headrick has moved from waiver pickup to trusted option.
Headrick's latest test came Tuesday against Boston, when he inherited a first-and-second, one-out jam from Luis Gil in the seventh inning and retired both hitters he faced. The Yankees went on to beat Boston 4-0, a result that only sharpened the sense that their bullpen has a usable answer in a spot that looked shaky on paper six weeks ago.
Boone had already said before opening day, “I think he’s legit,” adding, “I really do.” He also pointed to last season, when Headrick worked in 17 games and posted a 3.13 ERA in 23 innings, saying, “He was good for us last year in small bursts.” Boone said he felt the left-hander was “throwing the ball really well” and added, “I’m excited about him.”
The Yankees have used Headrick often because he has earned it, but also because they need it. He had been moved between New York and Scranton often last season, and the club entered this year with its bullpen as the biggest concern on the roster. The fit has held so far because Headrick has done what late-inning relievers are asked to do: show up often, miss enough bats, and keep innings from unraveling.
There is also a narrower reason he keeps getting the ball. Right-handed hitters were batting.143/.226/.179 with a.404 OPS against Headrick in 2026, a set of numbers that helps explain why the Yankees trust him in tight spots. Headrick described the job as a matter of being ready for the same ask over and over again, saying, “You’re not gonna be 100 percent every night, but just being the best version of yourself each night that you can,” and adding, “We prepared for this.” He said the club was built for that kind of usage, noting, “We prepared to pitch one inning, like I said, multiple days a week and things like that — and one-plus even if I need to.” His conclusion was plain: “So I think we’re ready for it.”
The Yankees may still choose to stretch Headrick into bigger spots later, including the eighth inning and perhaps even the ninth if David Bednar is unavailable. For now, though, the story is simpler than the preseason worry: the relief arm they found on waivers is doing the work the bullpen needed most.
