We don’t know if we need to be optimistic or pessimistic about our chances of seeing the New York Yankees play another baseball game this year. The state of New York has been hit hard by the coronavirus outbreak, and authorities may be about to implement fierce measures to prevent the virus from spreading.
However, we know that, if there is a season, the Yankees’ bullpen corps will be among the strongest and deepest in baseball, once again. In fact, there is a chance that the team’s relief is even deeper this year than last.
First off, we have the usual suspects. Look at these stats:
- Adam Ottavino: 1.90 ERA, 3.44 FIP, 31.1 K% in 66.1 innings
- Aroldis Chapman: 2.21 ERA, 2.28 FIP, 36.2 K% in 57 innings
- Chad Green: 4.17 ERA, 3.34 FIP, 33.2 K% in 69 innings
- Zack Britton: 1.91 ERA, 3.74 FIP, 21.6 K% in 61.1 innings
- Tommy Kahnle: 3.67 ERA, 3.33 FIP, 35.5 K% in 61.1 innings
- Luis Cessa: 4.11 ERA, 4.87 FIP, 21.9 K% in 81 innings
All of those names will return for the 2020 season, if there is one of course. Ottavino, Chapman and Kahnle are near-locks to continue pitching at a high level, while Green, Cessa and Britton made pitch mix changes during the season that leads us to believe they could be even better this year.
Then, we have several talented arms that could be on the verge of putting it all together. There may not be room for him in the rotation to start the season, but Jonathan Loaisiga has the talent to be a bullpen force. Last season he had a 4.55 ERA in 31.2 frames, but this spring, he was off to a great start: he had a 2.70 ERA in 10 innings, with just a walks and 14 strikeouts.
If Domingo German returns from suspension this season (he still has 63 games to serve) he will likely return to the rotation and bump one of J.A. Happ or Jordan Montgomery to the bullpen.
Ben Heller, Mike King, Jonathan Holder, Tyler Lyons, Nick Nelson, Clarke Schmidt, Deivi Garcia, Brooks Kriske and Albert Abreu remain in the picture, as well. The New York Yankees could have a historically deep unit in 2020.