The bad blood between the New York Yankees and New York Mets is best left unspoken. So when Luke Weaver agrees to a $22 million deal to go from the Bronx to Queens, that can feel like a betrayal.
Ultimately, the deal will be for two years, per Joel Sherman of The New York Post.
Therefore, the Yankees are left without a reliever. But never fear, hope can spring eternal for the Bronx Bombers. Now that Weaver is gone, there is the perfect opportunity for the Yankees to snatch up arguably the most trusted reliever on the market.
That is none other than Pete Fairbanks. In November, the Tampa Bay Rays allowed Fairbanks to become a free agent after declining a $11 million player option. This past year, he finished with a 2.83 ERA, a career high 27 saves, and 61 strikeouts.
Meanwhile, the Yankees finished the season with a 94-68 record, tying the Toronto Blue Jays in the AL East. Aferward, they defeated the Boston Red Sox in the AL Wild Card. However, they would lose to the Blue Jays in the ALDS.
Despite that, New York had prolonged issues with their bullpen. They were saturated with inconsistency, blown leads, and a lack of cohesion. Weaver and Camilo Doval faced their share of challenges. Even late additions such as Jake Bird, David Bednar, and Devin Williams struggled to adapt and therefore didn't consistently produce.
Those factors alone should propel the Yankees to act.
The biggest reasons why the Yankees need to acquire Pete Fairbanks
On the mound, Fairbanks is as dominant as they come. He has a 90-mile-per-hour fastball and a super slider that will do a great deal of damage to left-handed and right-handed hitters.
Over the last three years, he has recorded 20+ saves. In 2023, Fairbanks recorded 25 saves, and the following year came away with 23 saves. Demonstrating a level of consistency and burgeoning potential to become one of the best closers in the game.
Plus, given that he pitched with the Rays, he understands the dynamics of the AL East. From a financial perspective, Fairbanks is a much more cost-effective option. He is expected to earn $10-$12 million per year, well below the salaries of other elite closers such as Edwin Diaz and Robert Suarez.
Also, after the departure of Devin Williams to the Mets, Fairbanks is the ideal guy to fill that space as a high-powered arm. If that wasn't enough, Fairbanks brings a versatile style and can serve as both the closer and the setup man.
Of course, not everybody is perfect. Last year, Fairbanks saw a dip in his strikeout rate and had previous injury battles, including a shoulder issue, a hip ailment, and forearm inflammation.
However, he finished the 2025 season healthy.
Indeed, any team wants to ensure that anyone they want to sign is reliable. They want him to be trustworthy in the arena of play and to remain in good standing from head to toe.
In the case of Fairbanks, the Yankees get both overall. Not only that, but they don't have to spend a tremendous amount of money.
How can you pass that up?
