This story was excerpted from Bryan Hoch’s Yankees Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.
PHILADELPHIA – Brent Headrick has spent his whole life chasing velocity.
It wasn’t that long ago that the Yankees left-hander spent afternoons punching the gas of a blue 1968 Chevy Nova Super Sport, the chrome glittering in the sunlight as his muscle car roared with eight cylinders of thunder.
“The adrenaline rush is awesome,” Headrick said. “It’s like a rollercoaster. You’re going like, nine seconds, getting up to 120, 130, 140 [mph]. It’s quick, and then it’s over. But the adrenaline rush – it’s good.”
Born into a household where weekends frequently revolved around drag racing, Headrick has found his own way to thrive under pressure, one spotless relief appearance at a time.
The 28-year-old left-hander has become a trusted member of the bullpen’s inner circle, owning a 1.38 ERA in 52 appearances – third most in MLB – entering Monday.
His 44 scoreless relief appearances are the most among Major League relievers this season, the most recent of which came in Friday’s 1-0 victory at Philadelphia, when he wriggled free from a two-on, one-out jam to preserve Cam Schlittler’s 10th victory.
“He’s saved me plenty of times this season,” Schlittler said. “He’s been amazing so far. He doesn’t get the credit he deserves.”
Headrick’s emergence may be a surprise to some outsiders, but not to manager Aaron Boone, who has been championing the left-hander for months.
Claimed off waivers from the Twins last year, Headrick pitched to a 3.13 ERA in 17 appearances for New York. Boone recalls pounding the table for his inclusion on the playoff roster, sensing a fearlessness that could help in their most important games of the season.
“When he was at his best, he got a lot of uncomfortable swings,” Boone said. “I feel like he was still learning about the relief part. When we were finalizing our playoff roster, I was like, ‘He’s not the logical choice.’ But in my mind, I was like, ‘Man, I have a lot of confidence in this guy and what he’s going to be.’”
That belief grew over the winter, especially once the club’s pitching department relayed training instructions to prepare Headrick for a heavier workload.
Mostly developed as a starter after being selected by the Twins in the ninth round of the 2019 MLB Draft, Headrick said he came into the season envisioning pitching more frequently, with assignments of one to two innings.
“Last year, I’d do two or three, have a couple of days off and do it again,” Headrick said. “Looking back, it was a really good intro to the bullpen. I didn’t burn it all out in the first year, which was nice. I didn’t expect to get used this much, but I’m grateful for it. It’s a good opportunity.”
Yankees pitching coach Matt Blake said Headrick has seen improvement in his ability to curtail left-handed hitters, which bit him last year, when lefties posted a .922 OPS against him. That has stabilized; Headrick remains tough on righties (.466 OPS), holding lefties to a more manageable .726 OPS.
“He’s a big lefty with a steep angle,” Blake said. “He’s got a good fastball and the slider is pretty deceptive; he gets a lot of bad swings on it. He’s developed a splitter a little bit this year to use against the righties, so he’s in the zone a lot and he’s got swing-and-miss pitches.
“He’s not scared out there,” Blake added. “The biggest thing is just making sure he’s recovering with the amount of use he’s getting.”
This week, Headrick will return to his roots, as the Yankees visit the White Sox and Cubs for a week in Chicago. Raised in the small town of Braidwood, Ill., Headrick spent countless hours at a nearby quarter-mile track with his father, Wade, racing down the straightaways.
Though his summers are busy now, Headrick swings by the track during the offseason, helping in the pits while cheering on family and friends.
“I just loved hanging out with my dad, doing that stuff with him and learning about it,” Headrick said. “I just grew up with it, so it was normal to me. It’s different, but it’s something I enjoy.”
This week in Chicago, his hometown will come to him: Headrick estimates there will be about 200 people he knows in the stands. After years spent around machines built for brief, explosive moments, he understands the importance of being ready when the signal comes.
“That’s what you prep for,” Headrick said. “You love to be in those situations. Any time my name is called, I’m going to give it everything I have.”