Yes, Michael Pineda
Remember that RHP Michael Pineda started 17 games for the Bombers in ’17, all to a 4.39 ERA. While it is good that he is gone, and the same could be said of LHP Jaime Garcia and his 4.82, their losses leave the depth chart dangerously thin.
In fact, that mostly gets it down to righty Luis Cessa.
He got five starts before the trades started happening and posted a 4.75. Is he the first man up if Severino receives a blister? Or Gray gets hit by a line drive? That is hopefully true as the next most experienced reserve is LHP Caleb Smith, he of the 7.71 ERA.
Close observers of the Yankees farm system might counter that the team has plenty of reserves who are untested but big league ready. Spring Training has not proven that to be true.
A Quadruple-A Player
RHP Chance Adams has impressed almost everyone in baseball, except the Yankees. The be-stubbled Brendan Kuty reported as much earlier this week for NJ.com:
"“Adams [took] a little step forward,” [Manager Aaron] Boone said. “He really struggled with his command the first time. This time it was better. Still didn’t really have that great fastball command yet but better. A step in the right direction for him. Hopefully he can just get more and more comfortable.”"
The Yankees are not featuring him in camp, and he does not seem like the sixth starter they want.
Meanwhile, LHP Justus Sheffield has never pitched above Double-A and was one of the first players cut from camp. That is not to say he will not turn into an excellent pitcher, just that he is far too far away to be counted on anytime soon.
That leaves Domingo German as probably the best option, right now.
While he acquitted himself well last season—14 IP/3.14 ERA—the Yankees did not trust him to start a single game. He might have become a lot more promising this Spring, but what happens if this relatively untested rookie melts down in his first starting opportunity?