So far, spring training has not started well for the New York Yankees. James Paxton will miss the first few months of the season after undergoing back surgery, and Luis Severino is having more arm issues. Here are three pitchers that the Yankees could sign last second to fill a hole in the rotation:
Jason Vargas
Known as the softest thrower in the league, Jason Vargas actually had a decent 2019 season. He had a 7-9 record with a 4.51 ERA and a 1.363 WHIP. He’s 37 years old but has shown some signs of potential. He spent the 2019 season with the Mets and the Phillies.
Ervin Santana
Ervin Santana got really bad really fast, but could potentially bounce back in 2020. After a 3.28 ERA in 2017, his ERA was 8.03 in 2018 and spent most of the 2019 season in AAA. He did make three MLB starts in 2019, but his ERA was a 9.45. Like Vargas, Santana is 37 years old, but could still have a little bit left in the tank with a fresh start.
Clay Buchholz
Former Boston Red Sox Clay Buchholz has been up-and-down over the past few years. In 12 starts with the Blue Jays in 2019, Buchholz was 2-5 with a 6.56 ERA. The year prior, he was 7-2 with a 2.01 ERA. Buchholz is 35, so a few years younger than Santana and Vargas. He’s only a few years post-prime, and could potentially provide the Yankees with some decent starts.
If Luis Severino does hit the IL, the Yankees will need a starting pitcher for a few months. Paxton and German should be back in June, and at that point, the services of another starter would no longer be needed. The Yankees would need to sign an older pitcher for cheap, and hope for some decent starts until then/