Yankees' bullpen filled with question marks heading into ALDS

The Yankees’ bullpen was one of the statement pieces of the franchise’s dynasty in the late 1990s and early 2000s, and one that made even small deficits feel like insurmountable chasms for opponents.

There was Mariano Rivera, obviously, but also the bevy of good-enough guys who built the bridge to him. Ramiro Mendoza, Mike Stanton and Jeff Nelson all helped to create a challenge that sometimes was as harrowing psychologically as it was physically. Enter Sandman, it turns out, can be a pretty fitting dirge for postseason hopes gone to die.

This team? Yeah, they don’t have that.

The Yankees enter the Division Series against the Guardians as the favorite, but their march to the pennant will include navigating a slew of bullpen questions at the worst possible time, including the fact that they have nobody to definitively shut the door.

All-Star closer Clay Holmes is nursing a shoulder injury and has been thoroughly hittable in the second half of the season, meaning the Yankees will continue to rely on their closer-by-committee approach.

Wandy Peralta is ready to go but hasn’t pitched in a month because of thoracic spine tightness. Ron Marinaccio (shin) is on the injured list and ineligible to pitch in the Division Series.

So the Yankees — a team that ended the regular season with the second-best bullpen ERA (2.96) in the American League behind the Astros — are trying to sew together some semblance of a late-game plan that extends further than "hope Nestor Cortes pitches into the ninth.’'

(For the record, when asked about trying to shore up a banged-up bullpen, Cortes said he’d be happy to try to pitch nine innings.)

“It takes everyone,” Aaron Boone said. “It takes everyone during the season and you’re going to have to get some level of contribution from everyone in the postseason if you’re going to reach your goals. These guys are all prepared. Everyone that’s on there is ready to go and looking forward to just taking our shot [Tuesday].”

That includes likely using Jameson Taillon out of the bullpen, along with Domingo German, Boone said. German has bullpen experience — 22 games over five major-league seasons with a 3.31 ERA (his career starter ERA is 4.52) — but Taillon has been a starter his entire career. Boone said he’d be comfortable using Taillon in long relief, as a starter in the ALCS and even to close if the situation is right.

The Yankees, who must finalize their roster Tuesday morning, will have to gauge how and when they can use Peralta and Holmes while continuing to rely on players who didn’t originally factor heavily into their bullpen plans.

Not only did Zack Britton’s return from Tommy John surgery not go as planned, but Aroldis Chapman will be left off the ALDS roster after skipping Friday’s mandatory workout. Peralta, Scott Effross, Lucas Luetge and Lou Trivino all earned saves in September.

Boone said Peralta (2.72 ERA) is “totally comfortable,” which will be a significant help. He hemmed a bit more when it came to Holmes, who was shut down in the final week of the regular season. Both, he said, can be used in high-leverage situations.

“Clay, I feel like is going to be — he’s actually going to throw a little bit again [Monday],” Boone said. “Yeah, they are both going to have to [be in high-leverage spots]. For us to realize our goals, they are going to be in some big spots and have to get some big outs.”

So, no — no Mariano. Not even a 2019-era Chapman. Instead, the Yankees will have to hope that the sum of their parts will make up a formidable whole.

By Laura Albanese

laura.albanese@newsday.com@AlbaneseLaura

Laura Albanese is the Mets beat writer for Newsday. She's been covering MLB since 2014 after starting at Newsday as an intern seven years earlier.