The Yankees’ relief corps suffered a lot of injuries in 2021. Darren O’Day and Zack Britton, for example, were lost for the season, and they were expected to be major players. Positive COVID-19 cases and other physical ailments took valuable playing time from other contributors in the bullpen, too. As a result, the team needed some unsung heroes to step up.
That’s precisely what Wandy Peralta did. He was acquired from the San Francisco Giants on April 27, when the Yankees flipped outfielder Mike Tauchman to get the 30-year-old lefty. He saw some highs and lows, but overall, his first season in pinstripes was really, really solid.