
While the New York Yankees cracked the 100 win mark in 2018, the first time since the club has broken the threshold since 2009, there are several units of weakness on the roster.
The starting pitching was a primary concern after the lackluster performances witnessed in the ALDS against the Boston Red Sox. This offseason has been a swing and a miss on starting pitching, as bringing on the oft-injured James Paxton from the Mariners doesn’t necessarily bolster the rotation as much as one might hope.
Paxton has 41 wins and 26 losses over the course of his career, boasting a 3.42 overall ERA. That’s a solid number to add to your pitching lineup, but the fact of the matter is that he’s only 67 games over six years. Recent signing and retained pitcher J.A. Happ has featured in over 120 games in the last six-years of his career. So, we can only assume Paxton will play a limited role until he inevitably sustains another injury.
What does the New York Yankees’ rotation look like?
Well, the rotation looks about the same as it did last year, minus prospect Justus Sheffield, who was traded to the Mariners in exchange for Paxton.
-J.A. Happ
-James Paxton
-Luis Severino
-Masahiro Tanaka
-CC Sabathia
Not much has changed, besides the age of each player and the addition of the former Seattle ace. The Yankees attempted to sway Patrick Corbin to join the ranks but ultimately missed out due to a weak offer. Corbin wanted six-year and the Bombers were only offering five, despite being his native team.
Moving forward, I would expect the Yankees to continue prowling the market for more pitchers, whether it’s a free agent or a trade target. I’m convinced Miguel Andujar might be involved in whatever hypothetical trade could sprout, but only if Manny Machado joins the men in Pinstripes.