The New York Yankees could be down one significant starter comes the regular season as their expected ace, Luis Severino, has been diagnosed with an inflamed rotator cuff. The expected timetable for him to resume his pitching program is about two weeks, but reports have indicated that he could miss up to four games of the regular season.
The Yankees might have to allocate resources towards a potential backup option, which could be the truth behind Gio Gonzalez and the Bombers making contact.
According to MLB trade rumors, Gonzalez has been discussed as a reserve/rotation piece for the starting pitching unit. The left-hander was considered even before Severino’s injury Jon Heyman of MLB Network reported.
The Yankees won’t only be without Severino:
The Yankees will also be without CC Sabathia to start the year, which is why Gio makes sense in the interim. If the Yanks choose to stick to their guns, they have several solid options to choose from, despite their youth — Domingo German, Luis Cessa, Chance Adams, and Jonathan Loaisiga. All of the pitchers listed experienced action last season and could fill in while the two veterans recover from their respective ailments.
If the Bombers are looking for more veteran experience, Gonzalez would fit the bill as he’s going into his 12th season, enjoying eight of 11 seasons with more wins than losses. Now, it’s important to mention that his ERA has skyrocketed in recent years – 4.21 (2018). There have been short stints where he’s dominant on the mound, but the inevitable truth is that father-time is catching up to him quick.
The Yankees should use the talent already on the roster:
Personally, I would like to see manager Aaron Boone stick to his homegrown talent and instill confidence in them early on in the season. Chances are they will need to utilize some of their younger options regardless to manage fatigue and work around injuries.
Ultimately, there will come a time when the starting rotation is fully healthy, and Gonzalez would be the odd man out. His usage would be saved for necessities, but I believe that time should be used to groom to next generation of Yankees pitchers instead.