The playoffs can be a grind on even the deepest and most talented bullpens, facing talented offensive teams day after day in their attempt to win it all. For years Yankees fans were spoiled by Mariano Rivera’s greatness as he trotted in from the bullpen and shut down situations that made many of his peers wither. More recently, every team in the playoffs takes advantage of the schedule to push one or more of their starters into a bullpen role. These pitchers can frequently pay big dividends for their team by getting through the lineup multiple times, and this year the Yankees are set up to have a fleet of starting-caliber pitchers coming out of the bullpen.
An abundance of starting pitchers could serve the Yankees well in the playoffs
