Five days after acquiring Jake Bird from the Colorado Rockies, the New York Yankees have optioned the right-hander to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Bird has allowed seven runs (six earned) in his first two innings with New York, spanning three appearances. Bird's struggles are a microcosm of a bullpen that continues to unravel.
The Jake Bird Trade Already Looks Like a Miss for the Yankees originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
Five days after acquiring Jake Bird from the Colorado Rockies, the New York Yankees have optioned the right-hander to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
It's a move that may seem sudden, but the warning signs were there. Bird has allowed seven runs (six earned) in his first two innings with New York, spanning three appearances. His debut couldn't have gone worse, serving up a grand slam to Kyle Stowers in a stunning 13-12 collapse to the Miami Marlins on Friday.
Bird's struggles are a microcosm of a bullpen that continues to unravel. Yankees relievers own a 6.75 ERA in August and a 6.13 ERA since July 1, the second-worst in the majors and only ahead of the Colorado Rockies.
Bird’s sweeper ranks among the elite, landing in the 88th percentile in run value, and yielding a 33 %+ whiff rate, making it one of the most effective breaking pitches in MLB. His curveball and slider aren’t far behind: both boast 35–38% whiff rates over significant samples and collectively generate roughly seven runs above average per 100 pitches.
However, the fastball is the issue for Bird. His heater lacks both vertical ride and horizontal run, sitting in a "dead zone" that MLB hitters feast on. Given Josh Jung's known profile, Bird's recent outing was painfully predictable. It's likely he's headed to Triple-A to rework the fastball into a sinker or splitter.
Jake Bird:
— ⚡️ (@yankeesvision) August 5, 2025
- sweeper: .193 XBA, .332 XSLG
- sinker: .329 XBA, .500 XSLG
Josh Jung:
- vs sweepers: .159 xBA, .250 xSLG, 36% Whiff
- vs sinkers: .261 xBA, .378 xSLG, 12.8% Whiff
Matt Blake was just out there. Guess what pitch was thrown here? What goes on in these mound visits? pic.twitter.com/suRrcSx6em
Bird was acquired for prospects Roc Riggio and Ben Shields, a steep price for a reliever who was never a lock to succeed immediately. While there's still upside to tap into, the early return paints a clear picture: this was never a plug-and-play fix. It was a long shot, and five days in, it already looks like a mess.
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Aug 5, 2025, where it first appeared.
Category: Baseball
