Brent Headrick did not anticipate such a significant role in his season with the New York Yankees, but he has emerged as a key reliever and is on pace to challenge the franchise record for games pitched.
Through 62 appearances, Headrick has logged 61 1/3 innings and stands as one of the most utilized pitchers in Major League Baseball. Only one other pitcher, Mason Fluharty of the Toronto Blue Jays, has appeared in more games this season with 63. Headrick's 52 scoreless outings this year are the most in MLB and a franchise record through the first 120 games of the season. He has posted a 1.47 ERA in his 61 1/3 innings pitched, allowing just three earned runs over his last 30 appearances.
The current Yankees record for most games pitched in a season is held by Paul Quantrill, who appeared in 86 games in 2004, followed by Scott Proctor with 83 appearances in 2006. Headrick is currently on track to tie Proctor's mark.
Manager Aaron Boone acknowledged Headrick's heavy workload, stating that while the team ideally projects fewer games and innings for pitchers, they haven't always had that luxury this year. Boone credited Headrick for handling the demand well and noted the team's efforts to manage his availability to prevent overuse. "He’s put in the work, the training, that starts in earnest in the winter," Boone said. "Even though he has worked a lot, we at the same time have tried to protect him in certain situations of being disciplined on certain days, of, ‘You’re not available today.’"
Headrick, 28, stated he feels good and is not concerned about the high usage. He prepared for this season differently, recognizing it would be his first as a full-time reliever. The Yankees implemented a training regimen designed for shorter, more frequent outings, contrasting with his previous preparation for multi-inning stints as a starter. "I tried to train with more bursts more often," Headrick explained. "So I’m not building up to 50, 60 pitches like I would as a starter in the offseason. Now I build up to 15 or 20, and do it more often."
Headrick's emergence has been a notable development since he was acquired by the Yankees in February 2025 after being placed on waivers. The team identified his potential as a reliever upon his arrival, a prediction that has since proven accurate as he has become a reliable and high-volume arm out of the bullpen.