The New York Yankees simply can’t catch a break, considering the injuries that have occurred to limit their overall production and efficiency in 2020. Before spring training even began, the Yankees lost Luis Severino to Tommy John surgery and James Paxton to a cyst in his lower back. Severino will miss the entire year, but Paxton is reportedly healthy and ready to go for a 2020 regular season.
The last update on Paxton stated that he was throwing from 60-feet, and all went well for the lefty pitcher. While he threw just 25 balls, it’s a good start, and he should be well on his way toward starting the regular season in full capacity (March 11).
Nonetheless, Paxton has a troublesome injury history, dealing with ailments in five of the last six seasons. The only year he escaped injury was in 2016, but this upcoming season could offer him an opportunity to pitch fewer games and mitigate concern. Of course, predicting what might happen is impossible, but limiting his sample size of games to a minimum should keep him healthy, especially coming off surgery on his lower back.
The projected starting rotation for the New York Yankees:
Gerrit Cole – RHP
James Paxton – LHP
Masahiro Tanaka – RHP
J.A. Happ – LHP
Jordan Montgomery – LHP
Aside from Paxton, the Yankees are still relying on Masahiro Tanaka, J.A. Happ, and Jordan Montgomery has their three backend starters. In front of them, will be Gerrit Cole and Paxton.
Tanaka is a reliable pitcher, having pitched in no less than 136 innings over the past six years in the Bronx. Last year, he pitched 182 innings, securing 11 wins and logging a 4.45 ERA. Tanaka was stellar in the first half of the 2019 campaign (was an All-Star), but fell off in the second half and struggle to retain his production. In the postseason, he posted a 1-1 record with a 2.45 ERA over 11.0 innings.
The Japanese native has proven capable in the postseason, and the Yankees will likely rely on him if they can earn a spot in a revised playoff situation. They are currently on top of the list regarding World Series favorites, so anything less than a playoff appearance would be disappointing for a stacked roster. I believe Tanaka is one of the pitchers the Yankees can feel confident in and rely on this season.
As for Cole, who joined the Yankees on a nine-year, $324 million deal, things could be a bit rocky for him to begin his tenure in New York. Cole was thrashed during spring ball against the Detroit Tigers, allowing four homers and six runs in two innings. While this is abnormal for the dominant righty, Yankee Stadium can be a bit problematic for new faces. I believe he will rise above the pressure, given his track record and experience in big games.
The final two pitchers on the roster consist of Jordan Montgomery and Happ. Happ earned a 4.91 ERA in 2019 at 36 years old, allowing a career-high 34 home runs and 88 earned runs. General manager Brian Cashman instilled his faith in Happ this offseason by retaining him rather than trading or releasing him to save money. 2019 was clearly an exception for J.A., based on his past production. I predict that he will bounce back and help solidify the starting rotation this upcoming campaign.
Montgomery is a player I’m excited about, as he logged two consecutive seasons of sub-4.00 ERA baseball. Last season, he pitched in just four innings, which is too small of a sample size to make any judgments off of. Nonetheless, he is a quality arm who will fill the final spot on the starting rotation. I expect him to perform well as he looked good in spring training, aside from the home runs he allowed. He struck out 16 batters and allowed just one walk over 11.0 innings pitched.
Overall, I believe the Yankees have a solid starting rotation, but injuries and lack of action have hurt specific players in the recent past. If they can bounce back, the Yankees will be in good shape, but luckily they have young arms like Deivi Garcia and Clarke Schmidt to supplement any deficiencies.