Let’s be real. If you saw the notification pop up on your phone that the Yankees claimed Kaleb Ort off waivers from the Houston Astros, you probably didn't throw a parade. You might have even Googled "Who is Kaleb Ort?" while wondering why Brian Cashman isn't out there signing the next Goose Gossage.
It's been a quiet winter in the Bronx. Honestly, "quiet" is an understatement. While the Mets are busy hoarding every available arm like they’re prepping for a baseball apocalypse, the Yankees have been moving with the urgency of a sloth on a Sunday afternoon. But this Yankees bullpen roster move actually tells us a lot about how Matt Blake and the front office are planning to patch together a relief unit that has lost some serious firepower.
The State of the Yankee Pen
The bullpen is looking thin. Really thin.
Last season, you could rely on guys like Luke Weaver to bridge the gap. But Weaver is gone. So is Devin Williams. Both of them skipped town for Queens, which adds a nice layer of "salt in the wound" for Yankees fans. When you look at the current 40-man roster, the names at the top are solid, but the depth falls off a cliff pretty fast.
David Bednar is the guy. He’s the closer. You feel good when he’s coming out of the tunnel with a lead. Then you have Camilo Doval, who has the "closer pedigree" but was a bit of a roller coaster after coming over from San Francisco. Beyond them? It’s basically Fernando Cruz and Tim Hill (the funky lefty specialist they thankfully kept) trying to hold the middle innings together.
That brings us to the Kaleb Ort claim on January 9, 2026.
Why Kaleb Ort?
Ort isn't a new face to the organization, which is something most people forget. The Yankees actually signed him way back in 2017 out of the independent Frontier League. He bounced around their system until the Red Sox swiped him in the Rule 5 Draft in 2021.
He’s 33 now—turning 34 soon. He’s got a "flamethrower" reputation, consistently sitting in the upper 90s with his fastball. But here’s the thing: he hasn't always known where it's going. In 2025 with the Astros, he put up a 4.89 ERA over 46 innings. The real eyesore? He walked 27 batters. That is a lot of free passes for a guy you're supposed to trust in a tight game.
So, why did they bother?
- The Fastball Profile: Matt Blake loves guys with high-velocity heaters that play at the top of the zone. Ort has that in spades.
- The "Unlock" Theory: The Yankees have this weirdly successful track record of taking "broken" relievers and turning them into high-leverage studs. Think Clay Holmes.
- Cheap Depth: Claiming someone off waivers is basically free. If he stinks in Spring Training, they DFA him and move on. No harm, no foul.
The Looming Pitching Problem
The Yankees are in a weird spot with their pitching staff as a whole. Gerrit Cole is still on the shelf recovering from a ligament tear, and Carlos Rodón is working his way back from elbow surgery. Neither of them is expected back until May or June at the earliest.
Because the rotation is so banged up, the bullpen is going to be taxed early. Guys like Ryan Yarbrough and Paul Blackburn were brought in as "swingmen," but if the starters can't go six innings, the middle-relief guys are going to get shredded by mid-May.
This is why this Yankees bullpen roster move matters more than it seems. They aren't just looking for a closer; they are looking for "innings eaters" who won't give up five runs the second they enter a 2-2 game.
Who is actually left in the mix?
If the season started today, the bridge to Bednar would probably look like this:
- Camilo Doval: High-upside setup man.
- Fernando Cruz: Reliable righty.
- Tim Hill: The primary lefty.
- Brent Headrick: A 6'6" lefty they probably have to keep because they have zero other southpaw options.
- Kaleb Ort: Competing for a middle-relief spot.
- Yerry De Los Santos: A groundball specialist who was solid in Triple-A.
It’s not exactly the 1996 bullpen.
The Cody Bellinger Shadow
You can't talk about Yankees roster moves without mentioning Cody Bellinger. The front office is clearly trying to balance the checkbook to leave room for a big splash in the outfield. Hal Steinbrenner has been pretty vocal about wanting to trim the payroll—or at least not let it spiral out of control.
By filling the bullpen with waiver claims like Ort and minor league deals like the one they gave Paul DeJong, they are saving every penny for the Bellinger sweepstakes or a potential trade for a frontline starter like Freddy Peralta or MacKenzie Gore.
It’s a gamble. If they land Bellinger but the bullpen blows 15 leads in the first half of the season, fans aren't going to care how many home runs Belli hits.
What's Next for the Pen?
Don't expect the Ort move to be the last one. Brian Cashman usually waits until the "bargain bin" period of February to find his favorite reclamation projects.
There are still some interesting names floating around in free agency—guys who had down years but still have the "stuff" to be effective. The Yankees need another lefty. Relying solely on Tim Hill and a raw Brent Headrick is playing with fire, especially in a division with the Orioles and Sox.
Actionable Next Steps for the Yankees:
- Find a high-leverage lefty: Tim Hill is great, but he’s a specialist. They need a lefty who can get through a full inning of power hitters.
- Wait for the trade market to shift: Teams like the Brewers or Nationals might be more willing to move bullpen pieces once the "big fish" starters are off the board.
- Health check on the kids: Keep a close eye on Carlos Lagrange and Chase Hampton. If these prospects show they can handle big-league hitters in Tampa, the Yankees might be able to fill the gap internally by June.
Basically, the Kaleb Ort claim is a low-risk lottery ticket. It’s not the move that wins a World Series, but it’s the kind of move that keeps you afloat when your superstars are in the trainer’s room. Keep an eye on the waiver wire—more of these "quiet" moves are definitely coming before the pitchers and catchers report.
