The New York Yankees could lose up to four starting pitchers in 2021

The New York Yankees have their best chance at making a World Series appearance in years, considering the talent they have in the batting order and consistency in the pitching rotation.

A shortened season should limit injuries to a degree, as 2019 saw the Yankees set records for most games missed by starting players. However, once the 2020 season comes to an end, general manager Brian Cashman has a tall list of things he has to do.

Among several position players that will have expiring contracts, the Yankees could lose for starting pitchers due to free agency and retirement.

Here are the New York Yankees’ pitchers that could move on:

1.) James Paxton

The Yankees signed Paxton to a one-year, $12.5 million deal this past off-season. The former Seattle Mariners played in 29 games for the Yankees last season, pitching 150.2 innings. He finished with a 3.82 ERA, 186 strikeouts, and 23 home runs allowed.

With manager Aaron Boone already naming Paxton their number two starter this season, you can see the value he brings to the Bronx. Surprisingly, Paxton has never won any awards, whether it be an All-Star appearance or appearing in Cy Young voting.

However, that doesn’t take away from his stellar production when healthy. He has never pitched over a 3.90 ERA and has only recorded a winning percentage of less than .500 twice in seven years in the MLB.

The Yankees expect more, though, which is why he has been thrust into a more strenuous position. Adding a quality lefty pitcher to the rotation is always a positive. He will be a big question for the Yankees come the end of the season.

2.) Masahiro Tanaka

Tanaka has been a fan favorite for quite some time, and after taking a 112 mph line drive to the head less than two weeks ago, his toughness is also on display. The Japanese native is one of the more experienced pitchers in the rotation, considering his 46.0 innings of postseason play.

While his performance has taken a slight dip over the past few seasons, he is still extremely effective and has logged two All-Star appearances over his six years with the team. If he’s willing to settle on a more friendly deal, the Yankees would be wise to consider extending him.

3.) Domingo German

German is one of the more promising young pitchers for the New York Yankees. On Friday evening, he posted a cryptic Instagram message stating that he is considering retiring from baseball.

He has consistently improved since entering the MLB. If he’s serious about retiring from baseball, the Yankees will be out one significant young arm.

4.) J.A. Happ

Happ has a $17 million option for 2021, which would be activated if he reached 26 starts or 165 innings in a normal season. However, for a 60-game campaign, he would only need to start 10 games or play 61-1/3 innings to trigger the option. This could affect how the Yankees utilize him in 2020.

Considering Happ earned a 4.91 ERA with 34 home runs allowed is not convincing regarding his retention. I believe the Yankees will use them sparingly and try to utilize their strong bullpen instead. Owing him $17 million would be inefficient, as they could allocate that money toward Paxton or Tanaka alternatively.