Yankees Lean on Unpredictable Bullpen in 10-9 Win Over Twins

MINNEAPOLIS — The New York Yankees again leaned on a patchwork bullpen Tuesday night, scraping out a 10-9 victory over the Minnesota Twins while revealing the uneven relief work that has dogged them down the stretch.

Relievers produced sporadic, high-leverage results in the game, underscoring a larger season-long pattern in which manager Aaron Boone has had to cycle through arms without a clear, reliable late-inning sequence. Ryan Yarbrough allowed four runs while recording a single out, and David Bednar surrendered a ninth-inning solo home run, but Mark Leiter Jr. covered five outs and Devin Williams delivered a needed lift earlier in the game.

The contest illustrated both the upside and vulnerability of New York's relief corps. At times the Yankees have benefitied from efficient outings from setup options and swing men, while at other moments those same pitchers have yielded decisive runs. Boone's bullpen calls have frequently resembled a gamble, with matchups and recent usage guiding decisions more than a fixed pecking order.

Yarbrough's brief appearance opened the door for Minnesota rallies, while Leiter's extended appearance stabilized several innings and helped bridge to later options. Bednar, used in the ninth, allowed the single run that tightened the game but the Yankees held on. Williams' outing in the middle relief provided one of the steadier stretches for the unit.

The pattern is familiar: there are stretches for nearly every reliever that show they are capable of limiting damage or shutting down opponents, and other stretches that suggest late-inning fragility. That inconsistency matters particularly as New York prepares for the postseason, when bullpen roles and dependability become magnified.

Boone has navigated the variability by mixing matchups, workload considerations and recent performance, but the absence of a consistently dominant late-inning setup man or closer in the past weeks has forced him into tougher decisions. The result has been higher turnover inside games and an increased reliance on swing relievers to log multiple outs.

The Yankees' offense has frequently offset shaky relief work this season, and Tuesday's nine-run output provided the margin for survival. Still, the club's continued searching for a postseason bullpen formula will be a focal point in the coming days. How Boone and the front office manage usage, rest and matchup deployment will shape postseason chances and determine whether the unit can settle into a dependable structure.

The win in Minneapolis keeps New York afloat in a stretch run where every game matters, but it also served as a reminder that the bullpen's unpredictability is a variable the Yankees must manage carefully. With little margin for error in October, the team faces the challenge of converting occasional standout outings into consistent late-inning performance.