New York Yankees: Determining the starting rotation for 2020
By Ben Fadden
The New York Yankees may be the World Series favorites, but their rotation is still somewhat unsettled.
The New York Yankees had a big hole on their roster. They won the division despite a ton of injuries and then rolled right past the Minnesota Twins. But then they fell to the Houston Astros in the American League Championship Series because the Houston rotation was better than New York’s.
It is just that simple. And the Astros had Gerrit Cole on their side, but now he is on the Yankees side and that is a big reason why New York are the favorites in the American League.
But what about the rest of the rotation. Let’s predict what the rotation will look like on Opening Day.
5. player. 43. . . . J.A. Happ
J.A. Happ has been in a lot of discussions this offseason, and the Yankees reportedly are still trying to trade Happ. He isn’t a free agent until after the 2021 season, but I don’t see a deal getting done because the Yanks might be asking for too much.
The 37-year-old didn’t have the best season in 2019, as he almost had a 5 ERA in 30 starts. But the 30 starts stat jumps out at me because it means Happ is someone that is a very valuable fifth starter in the rotation that will give you innings every fifth day he takes the mound.
He usually has an ERA in the 3’s with at least 30 starts in four of the last five seasons.