Should The New York Yankees Switch To A Six Man Rotation Down The Stretch?

New York Yankees, Luis Severino
May 2, 2018; Houston, TX, USA; New York Yankees starting pitcher Luis Severino (40) delivers a pitch against the Houston Astros during the second inning at Minute Maid Park. Mandatory Credit: Erik Williams-USA TODAY Sports

As the season winds down, the New York Yankees have an interesting decision that they will have to make on the starting pitching front.

The team will have a surplus of starters, and they will need to find ways to use each of them effectively.

The team currently has four healthy starters, but will soon have six. Jordan Montgomery and Luis Severino are in rehab with AA Trenton Thunder and have MLB returns in the near future.

Since the roster has expanded, it would obviously be a lot easier to go to a six man rotation. By making the switch for the final few weeks, you ease Monty and Sevy back in and space out the other four starters.

Masahiro Tanaka usually pitches better on more rest, and is more injury prone as well as James Paxton. An extra starter cuts down innings on the season, and you keep the pitchers fresher for October as well as increased health.

JA Happ has been very inconsistent this year, so maybe extra rest would be a bit beneficial. Domingo German often pitches later into starts so a sixth starter would help him a lot, too.

Sevy and Monty would likely get three or four starts max, but it could be like a tryout to see who could make postseason starts.

Tanaka, German, and Paxton are no doubt postseason starters. But the team needs one more starter in October, and it would be the better of Monty or Sevy.

Even if CC pitches again this year, you may see him come out of relief. He really hasn’t pitched well this year and is by no means good enough or healthy enough to start games in October.

I think that a six man rotation would really benefit the Yankees down the stretch.