1-2-3 punch becoming a reality
If the last few weeks for the New York Yankees mean anything this early in the season, the Yankees might have the 1-2-3 punch pitching rotation that can win a World Series. The Yankees going into the season knowing what they had in Gerrit Cole, their ace. He can have a 20 win season. But beyond that, everything was a mystery. Corey Kluber and Jameson Taillon had not pitched in nearly two years. Domingo German hadn’t pitched for over a year, and Luis Severino wouldn’t return to the team until July.
Since then, the rotation got off to a shaky start, but in the last few weeks, they are showing off what could be. Cole is 5-2 with an ERA of 2.03 and tied for second for the most strikeouts in baseball. Corey Kluber has been pitching better and better, culminating in a no-hitter this week; he can’t get any better than that. And then there’s Domingo German that, other than a stumble to begin the season, has returned to the pitcher he was in 2019 when he was 18-4. This is certainly a formidable rotation for any team to face.
What makes this even more interesting is that they Yankees also have Jameson Taillon who is still shaking off the rust, Jordan Montgomery, and the returning Clarke Schmidt and Luis Severino the former Yankee ace. Oh, did I forget to mention the major league ready Deivi Garcia that pitching great in Scranton? He is 1-0 in 3 starts with an ERA of 3.38.
DeShields, Story, and more
As the Yankee’s outfield continues to be injury-prone, the rumors are building that they will shore up the outfield sooner than later. The most recent talk is about Delino DeShields, an outfielder who spent most of his time with the Texas Rangers. According to a report by MLB Network insider Ken Rosenthal, the two teams are in trade talks. However, it should be noted there neither team has acknowledged those talks. DeShields started this season in the minors with Triple-A Round Rock, where he has slashed .412/.500/.706 in 40 plate appearances.
One rumor that has been going on is the Yankees acquiring the Colorado Rockies Trevor Story, one of the best shortstops in the business. Those rumors won’t go away with it being said that Yankee general manager Brian Cashman said to have the Rockies on speed dial. Another rumor that has cropped up is the Yankee’s interest in the Diamondbacks David Peralta, who can play either side of the outfield but with limited experience in center. He can also hit for average and power. Besides these names, there are several others like Joey Gallo, but they don’t seem to have much traction.
New York Yankees injuries build
The piling up injuries for the New York Yankees is getting concerning. First, Gleyber Torres came down with Covid 19; he is back with the team now. But since the infection of 9 Yankees staff members, other injuries have plagued the team. Aaron Hicks (wrist) return to the team unknown. Giancarlo Stanton (left quad) 10 day IL. Greg Allen (oblique) day to day. Ryan LaMarre (hamstring), day to day. Clint Frazier (cranky neck) day to day.
The injury to Clint Frazier is most concerning as the outfield options for the Yankees are shrinking by the day. The Yankees now depend on Aaron Judge (right), Brett Gardner (center), and Miguel Andujar (left). They also have Tyler Wad that can play just about anywhere, although he has minimal experience in center field. When manager Aaron Boone was asked about Frazier, he had this to say:
“He’s doing alright. Still just stiffness in that neck,†Boone said. “We just want to get back to New York and see what we’re dealing with and hopefully get some better news on that.â€
Yankee homestand starts
Tonight back at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, the Yankees will take on the Chicago White Sox in a three-game series. This will be a very different series for the Yankees as it is one of the first times that team will face another power-hitting team. Both teams will have their ace’s pitch in the series. The Sox also has a strong bullpen headlined by Liam Hendriks. After the Sox matchup, the Yankees will face the Toronto Blue Jays before taking off for Detroit.
Corey Kluber goes full circle
New York Yankees’ pitcher Corey Kluber after pitching the first no-hitter of his career, could be said to have completed a full circle in his return to greatness. Kluber has had an amazing pitching career winning two Cy Young Awards, but he had only pitched limitedly for the past two years. In 2019 he was hit by a comebacker that ended his season. He was traded to the Texas Rangers, where he pitched only one inning in the 2020 season.
During the offseason, Kluber spent the winter trying to return to form with Eric Cressey at his training center in Florida. Cressey is also the head of training and health for the Yankees. With the inside track for information, the Yankees took the chance on Kluber and hired him to be their number two starter after revamping their entire rotation led by Gerrit Cole. At the beginning of the season and in his first few starts, Kluber seemed rusty. But more recently, he has pitched extremely week, culminating in his no-hitter on Wednesday night. He has gone full circle.