The New York Yankees are preparing for their final clash against the Baltimore Orioles in a four-game series set for Thursday night. Following a commendable pitching performance from Randy Vasquez on Wednesday, which saw him pitch five scoreless innings, the Yankees decided to option him back to Triple-A.
Promotion of Deivi Garcia: A Potential Game-Changer?
In anticipation of Luis Severino’s attempt to make a comeback this season, the Yankees have brought in another young pitcher, Deivi Garcia, to provide backup from the bullpen.
Garcia, the team’s former top pitching prospect, is still seeking to realize his potential at the age of 24. Over three innings in the MLB this year, Garcia boasts a 3.00 ERA, which includes a 100% left-on-base rate and a 33.3% ground ball rate.
- Yankees’ catching prospect is bidding for top-100 prospect status
- Yankees’ new bullpen arm blows game in first opportunity
- Yankees’ superstar slugger struggling through horrible cold streak
Garcia’s Track Record at Triple-A Scranton
During his tenure at Triple-A Scranton this year, Garcia displayed a 4.93 ERA across 34.2 innings, striking out 8.83 batters per nine innings and walking 6.75 per nine.
A closer look at Garcia’s performance reveals his struggle with a high walk rate, which is coupled with 1.56 home runs per nine innings and a 14% HR/FB ratio. Clearly, Garcia is yet to deliver the promise the Yankees saw in him back in 2019.
Garcia’s Pitching Style and the Challenges Ahead
Garcia’s pitching repertoire comprises a four-seam fastball, change-up, and sweeper combination. Although his fastball averages around 95 mph, indicating good velocity, his challenge lies in locating pitches accurately, leading to walks. An enhancement in his first-pitch strike figures and overall aggression could significantly contribute to his improvement at both the MLB and Triple-A levels.
The Need for Young Arms Amidst Jimmy Cordero’s Suspension
With Jimmy Cordero receiving a season-long suspension for violating the MLB’s domestic abuse policy, the Yankees will have to depend on their young bullpen pitchers to fill the gap. This critical situation underlines the need for Garcia and his peers to step up their game, offering them an opportunity to establish their worth on the MLB stage.