The New York Yankees finished the 2018 season with a record of 100-62, astonishingly finishing eight games behind a historic Boston Red Sox team. After a weak Boston start, the Yankees have given themselves a true opportunity to claim the AL East for themselves. With a Tampa Bay Rays team that can pitch as well as anyone, the Yankees find themselves in a tough fight for the division title.
In the current state of affairs, the New York Yankees have their ace, Luis Severino, with a vague time table for return, some time after the All-Star break. J.A. Happ and CC Sabathia have not endeared themselves to Yankees fans anymore after signing new deals in the offseason. James Paxton is on the verge of a return from the IL and Domingo German is in the midst of a breakout season. This leaves the Yankees with a potential playoff rotation of Paxton, Masahiro Tanaka, and not much else for certain.
If Severino returns vigorous and in his ace form the Yankees will be in a rather good spot. However, that is a big ‘if’ and a lackluster start to the season for Happ have instilled doubts in his role as the fourth starter. German is a big factor in this decision, yet he has never pitched a full season as a starter- limiting his innings asperations- and Sabathia has proven to be little else than a clubhouse presence- a role in which he prospers.
Therefore, as the hoards of injured Yankees make their way back from the Injured List, the front office should seek to bolster the pitching unit, namely the starting rotation. German can eventually slot into the bullpen- a role he has grown accustomed to- in order to keep him an active member of the 2019 roster.
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The unceasing depth that the Yankees possess allows them to focus solely on the rotation. Some names that will no doubt be in this conversation are Madison Bumgarner, Mike Minor, Matthew Boyd, and Trevor Bauer among others.
Bumgarner possesses the greatest issue in that even if the Giants were willing to deal him- as they have not been able to in years past- and if the Yankees can work out a satisfying return, the towering lefty holds all of the leverage. The three-time World Series champion has a restricted list of eight teams that he can block a trade to and the Yankees are on that very list.
Trevor Bauer is by far the most tempting of all of the offerings of the 2019 trade market. It is rare one of the finest pitchers in the league is up for sale, yet that player will always come with a hefty price. If Chris Archer– who was nowhere near the pitcher that Bauer is- could net an immense pitching talent in Tyler Glasnow and a budding slugger in Austin Meadows, then the potential return for Bauer is boundless.
Bauer may not have the years of control Archer did- 3 remaining at the time of the deal- he still has an additional year after this one. This will no doubt have the Indians in hot pursuit of Estevan Florial– the #52 overall prospect- who is projected to debut in 2021. It would seem that the Yankees are very unlikely to offer him up in any deal, no matter the return.
Thus Minor and Boyd remain. Boyd is under control for the following three seasons, yet he may not have had enough for the Yankees to heavily invest on a very promising showing to begin 2019. Minor on the other hand has had much success upon a return from continuous injuries.
Missing the 2015 and 2016 season due to injury, he responded positively in 2017 when he logged 77 innings of a 2.55 ERA in Kansas City’s bullpen. His return to the starting rotation was an adjustment, as in 2018 he posted a 4.18 ERA over 157 innings with the Texas Rangers. He has seemed to have regained his form in this role as in 2019 his 72 strikeouts over 70 innings are an impressive display, especially when coupled with a 2.55 ERA.
A move for minor will not simply replace a struggling rotation member, but rather will provide the necessary depth given that are lingering uncertainties within the rotation.
More names will begin to emerge it is just a matter of time before they become common knowledge. Along the same line of reasoning, Brian Cashman has proven to find players that no one else has even considered if he dislikes his options.