The New York Yankees have given Luis Cessa plenty of opportunities to showcase his talent on the bump but each time, he’s floundered. He has to make the most when given his next shot at a starting role.
There are some players in the MLB that frequently disappoint fans no matter how many opportunities they are given. Luis Cessa is trying to avoid that trend with the New York Yankees.
The 27-year-old hasn’t taken advantage of his multiple opportunities to secure a rotation spot. But thanks to injuries to CC Sabathia and New York ace Luis Severino, Cessa may end up in the starting staff by March 28.
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Cessa’s resume boasts mediocre numbers at best. His career 4.71 ERA is unimpressive, and the right-hander allowed more than 10 hits per nine innings in 2018.
Both former Yankees manager Joe Girardi and current manager Aaron Boone have offered him spot starts. Yet, they were typically indistinguishable from his relief outings, as he didn’t last more than four innings in all but two across the past two seasons.
Nevertheless, Cessa’s numbers this Spring are impressive. The Mexico native has allowed just one run through 13 innings with 13 strikeouts and just one walk. Granted, the small sample size shouldn’t impel Boone to automatically award a spot to the hurler. He has to do more to earn it.
What’s important in Cessa’s case is that his competitors for the spot haven’t been as sharp thus far. Chance Adams pitched just 2 1/3 innings this Spring, while Jonathan Loiasiga also struggled throughout most of his four starts in March.
The issue for Cessa and other contenders for the current vacancies, like Domingo German, is that their substitution could only be for a short time. At least, the Yankees hope so, considering they are one of the only teams without their ace at this point in the year.
One advantage New York has in this scenario is its fantastic bullpen unit. Yankees relievers combined for the second-most innings in baseball last season with the fourth-best ERA.
With Dellin Betances’s shoulder injury, Cessa has an opportunity to occupy a spot amongst the talented bullpen crew. Although, his stats are not much better as a reliever than as a starter.
At least Boone has a bevy of pitching options available, considering he’s already dealing with a flurry of injuries.
Cessa hopes he receives at least one more chance because he knows it could ultimately be his last one. But unlike his other opportunities, he needs to flourish to maintain his role with the big-league club.