Spring training injuries are always unwelcome news, and the New York Yankees are dealing with them right off the bat.
According to multiple reports, right-handed relief pitcher Jake Cousins is dealing with a forearm strain, and won’t throw at all for at least another week. That puts his availability for Opening Day in doubt, even if he doesn’t suffer any further setbacks.
Though in the long run, it doesn’t appear Cousins is in danger of missing too much time, the Yankees may not want to enter the seasons short on proven bullpen depth. February is always a good time to sign last-minute relievers to the staff, and New York may be more interested now than a few days ago.
As a potential replacement for Cousins, Newsweek’s Drew VonScio pitched former Cincinnati Reds reliever Buck Farmer as an option in an article published Wednesday.
“As a member of the Cincinnati Reds in 2024, Farmer pitched in 61 games and recorded a 3.04 ERA with 70 strikeouts,” VonScio wrote. “He was very efficient for the Reds and produced the highest WAR total for a single season of his career with 1.7.”
“While Farmer is set to turn 34 in the next week, he’s still pitching at a very high level. In a way, it’s still surprising he remains unsigned. The Yankees could be the biggest beneficiary of his services if they choose to restock the bullpen externally.”
Forearm strains can be pesky. In the age of increased risk of Tommy John surgery, any arm discomfort should be treated with extreme caution, so the Yankees shouldn’t count on Cousins to be available until they have more information.
If they can land Farmer for an affordable deal in the interim (say, less than the $6 million he signed for with the Reds last year), they’d be wise to pull the trigger.
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