Michael King, the New York Yankees’ most sought-after reliever of the 2023 season, is set to embrace a new role in 2024. King stood up when the rotation collapsed mid-season due to injuries. While the team management initially remained hesitant due to the pitcher’s injury history, they gave in out of desperation.
But Michael King knew what he was doing and delivered a splendid performance. He ended the year with a 2.75 ERA across 49 appearances, which included nine starts to book a rotation spot for the 2024 season. Having said that, King’s promotion leaves a void in the bullpen, which this breakout reliever is open and ready to fill in if the team asks him to.
Ian Hamilton Open To Embrace Michael King’s Bullpen Role In 2024!
Ian Hamilton, a hard-throwing right-handed reliever, made his Yankees debut in 2023 and quickly caught the attention of fans with impressive performances. The pitcher recorded a career-high pitch count before falling prey to a groin injury in September. Nevertheless, Hamilton’s numbers still remained staggering. He ended the year with a 2.64 ERA across 39 appearances and also recorded two saves. Thus, with Michael King headed to the rotation, Ian Hamilton is ready to take up his role and lead the bullpen in 2024. He said that he is prepared to do whatever the team needs him to do. “I’ll get the innings and work whenever I can. I just like getting outs,” said Hamilton.
Ian Hamilton had one of the best years of his career in the Bronx in 2023. While the team tanked, he emerged as the breakout reliever. Aaron Boone, the Yankees skipper, believes the pitcher has the skills and flexibility to take up different bullpen roles. The 23-year-old is not a free agent until 2029. Thus, the Yanks should prioritize his growth in the coming seasons and channel his hidden potential. Hamilton is tough, and with the right direction, he can lead the bullpen for a decade or so. That being said, the Bombers are also expected to add a few names during free agency. Regardless, Hamilton is ready to prove why he deserves to replace King and will display the same intent during upcoming spring training.
Jhony Brito Among Yankees In-House Option For Key Bullpen Role!
Besides Ian Hamilton, Jhony Brito has had an exceptional season in 2023. Despite being in and out of the roster, Brito managed to stay consistent. He finished the year with a 4.28 ERA across 25 games and 13 starts, with one save. Not only that, the pitcher made necessary adjustments by cutting the usage of changeups to throw more fastballs and curveballs.
Apart from Jhony Brito, Randy Vasquez and Luis Gil, are also some in-house options that could anchor the Yankee bullpen in 2024. However, Vasquez is projected to be sacrificed for trade purposes. Thus, he would have to survive that scare to lead the bullpen next season. Overall, the Yankees roster construction for the 2024 season would be an eventful ride worth watching.