The Yankees are no strangers to finding overlooked arms and turning them into late-inning weapons. It’s part of their secret sauce—find a guy with good metrics, tweak the mechanics or pitch mix, and unlock something special. That philosophy might lead them to 29-year-old right-hander Scott Blewett, who was designated for assignment by the Baltimore Orioles on Saturday afternoon.
While most teams might gloss over a DFA reliever with a modest history, the Yankees should take a closer look. Blewett is the kind of under-the-radar bullpen project that could quietly turn into gold in the Bronx.
Blewett’s Numbers Speak Louder Than His Name
Through nine innings this season, Blewett owns a sparkling 1.00 ERA. That’s no fluke—he also posted a 1.77 ERA over 20.1 innings for the Minnesota Twins last year, showing this isn’t some lightning-in-a-bottle short sample. His strikeout numbers have improved, and he’s generating a healthy 48% ground ball rate, which fits right into the Yankees’ game plan of pitching to contact when necessary.
Where Blewett really intrigues is under the hood. He ranks in the 96th percentile in whiff rate and 88th percentile in chase rate this season. Those are elite-level metrics, suggesting his stuff is missing bats and fooling hitters consistently.
A Deep Dive Into His Arsenal
Blewett throws a three-pitch mix: a slider, four-seam fastball, and a split-finger. His slider is probably his nastiest weapon, averaging 84.1 mph and producing a .313 slugging percentage against it with a 43.3% whiff rate. It’s a true put-away pitch when sequenced properly.
His fastball isn’t elite on paper, but the whiff and chase numbers indicate that hitters still have trouble squaring it up, likely due to deception or location. The pitch could benefit from a velocity bump or a different grip tweak—two areas where Yankees pitching coach Matt Blake has a proven track record.
Then there’s the splitter—his most underutilized pitch. Blewett throws it just 20.9% of the time, yet it’s allowing just a .222 batting average and matching slugging rate. That’s value just waiting to be unleashed.
Another Project the Yankees Could Mold
One man’s DFA is another team’s bullpen weapon. The Yankees have made a habit out of scooping up relievers like Clay Holmes, Wandy Peralta, and more recently, Luke Weaver—guys who were either cast off or buried on depth charts elsewhere.
Scott Blewett could be next in line. He’s got the whiffs, he’s got the movement, and he’s got the kind of pitch mix the Yankees love to manipulate. Don’t be surprised if he’s wearing pinstripes by next week.