The Yankees just gave Aaron Judge and the lineup a potential playoff weapon — Carlos Lagrange is moving to the bullpen at Triple-A, and the 23-year-old flamethrower could be throwing 103 mph heat in The Bronx before the trade deadline.
This is the Yankees addressing their biggest 2024 weakness without giving up prospects or waiting until July. Lagrange already hits 100 mph as a starter. Now he’s going max effort out of the pen, and his Triple-A catcher thinks he’ll pump 102-103 mph in short bursts.
The Captain Gets His Closer
Aaron Boone confirmed what fans suspected since spring training — Lagrange can impact the Aaron Judge Yankees in 2025. “Hopefully he puts himself in a position to be an option for us,” Boone said before Tuesday’s loss to the Guardians.
The big man and this lineup need bullpen reinforcements. Everyone remembers how the 2024 bullpen collapsed when it mattered most. The front office couldn’t fix it at the deadline. Now they’re building the weapon internally.
Lagrange has thrown 49 innings across 11 starts at Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. He was still hitting high-90s deep into his most recent outing Thursday. Moving him to a reliever’s schedule unleashes the pure velocity that made him a top Yankees pitching prospect.
Triple-A Catcher Predicts Dominance
J.C. Escarra caught Lagrange in spring training and sees what’s coming. “He’s gonna be better,” Escarra said. “He was already throwing 100. Now he’ll pump 102-103. This is a good thing. He’s gonna help us.”
That’s the voice of someone who’s watched Lagrange’s fastball explode out of his hand. Add two more ticks when he’s going one inning instead of five, and you’ve got a weapon the Aaron Judge Yankees desperately need behind Clay Holmes.
Boone emphasized the Yankees view Lagrange as a starter long-term, possibly for 2026. But right now, with No. 99 in his prime and the bullpen shaky, the team needs impact arms. “In the 2025 lens, he has a chance to impact us out of the pen and hopefully not disrupt anything,” Boone said.
Lagrange Embraced This Plan Months Ago
The Yankees planted these seeds in March. When reporters asked Lagrange about a midseason bullpen call-up during spring training, he didn’t hesitate. “I’ve worked hard my whole career as a starter, but if they need a reliever, I’ll do whatever they want and focus on that,” Lagrange said at the time.
That’s the mentality championship teams need. The organization told him the plan. He bought in immediately. Now he’s getting the reps at Triple-A to make it happen.
What This Means for Judge’s Championship Window
The Yankees are building around their Captain’s prime years the right way. Clarke Schmidt is throwing bullpen sessions in his Tommy John recovery and could return in the second half. Max Fried is progressing from his elbow bone bruise. The rotation depth is elite.
But October games are won by bullpens. Judge can’t carry this team through the playoffs alone — he needs shutdown relievers behind him in high-leverage spots. Lagrange throwing 103 mph in the seventh or eighth inning changes late-game matchups completely.
The Yankees didn’t wait for the trade deadline or mortgage the future. They developed the weapon internally, and Lagrange is weeks away from proving he belongs. Judge just got the reinforcement he needs for a championship push.
