New York Yankees: Candidates for fifth starter role

The New York Yankees have a large hole in the rotation. Let’s look at the potential candidates for the fifth starter spot.

Just a few days ago, the New York Yankees rotation appeared to be an area of strength. Gerrit Cole had been signed to a seven year deal, adding another bona fide ace alongside Luis Severino and Masahiro Tanaka. James Paxton made for an incredible fourth starter. While Domingo German was suspended for the start of the season, J.A. Happ remained the subject of trade rumors, a testament to the depth that the Yankees had in their rotation.

Now, the rotation is somewhat unsettled. Paxton underwent back surgery on Wednesday and is set to miss three to four weeks, leaving another opening behind the Yankees Big Three. Happ is presumably off the trade block at this point, needed to fill in as the fourth starter. Unless, of course, the Yankees find a reasonable offer for the lefty.

However, the Yankees have plenty of options available for that fifth starter role. While they may not be the most exciting of pitchers, aside from top prospect Deivi Garcia, there is plenty of depth in New York. For a two or three month stint, the Yankees could certainly do much worse.

Which pitchers will be vying for the New York Yankees fifth starter role? Let’s take a closer look.

Jordan Montgomery

In theory, Jordan Montgomery has the inside track when it comes to the New York Yankees fifth starter spot.

He appeared to be a future mainstay in the rotation as a rookie in 2017, as he posted a respectable 9-7 record with a 3.88 ERA and a 1.230 WHiP. Over his 155.1 innings, Montgomery struck out 144 batters while issuing just 51 walks. That strong showing continued in the first part of 2018, as Montgomery pitched well in his first six outings.

Unfortunately, disaster struck in that second year. Montgomery underwent Tommy John surgery, cutting short his promising sophomore season. While he did return for two games later in 2019, the results were predictably uneven, as he allowed three runs on seven hits over four innings. Montgomery did strike out five batters, however, showing some of the form that had been there before his injury.

Now that he is healthy, he has another chance to stake his claim as a future mainstay in the Yankees rotation. Given Happ’s tenuous grasp on a spot on the roster, it is possible that Montgomery could remain in the rotation beyond Paxton’s injury or German’s suspension. But he would need to show that he is the pitcher he had been before missing most of the past two seasons.

Jordan Montgomery likely has the inside track to the New York Yankees fifth rotation spot. It depends on whether or not he can be the pitcher he had been in 2017.

Luis Cessa

At some point, Luis Cessa is going to run out of chances with the New York Yankees. However, this does not appear to be that year, at least just yet.

From 2016 through 2018, Cessa rode the train from AAA to the Yankees, appearing in at least ten games each season between the rotation and the bullpen. He failed to make much of an impression in any of those stints, essentially serving as a minor league depth piece. Yet, he continued to get his chances, as the Yankees hoped that his strong minor league performance would start to translate to the majors.

Last season, Cessa finally stuck for a full season in the majors. Serving as a long reliever, he made a career high 43 appearances spanning 81 innings. Over that time, he posted a 4.11 ERA and a 1.309 WHiP, striking out 75 batters with 31 walks.

While those numbers are not exactly impressive, Cessa does have starting experience. He worked almost exclusively as a starter in the minors, making 121 starts. And he does have 19 starts in his time in the majors. However, he has not exactly fared well in those outings, posting a 3-11 record with a 4.93 ERA and a 1.303 WHiP, striking out 68 batters with 26 walks in 91.1 innings.

The New York Yankees appeared to have finally found a role for Luis Cessa as a long reliever. Nonetheless, he will get yet another chance to earn a spot in the rotation.

Jonathan Loaisiga

Jonathan Loaisiga took an odd path to the New York Yankees, but his minor league track record makes him an interesting option.

Originally signed as a free agent by the San Francisco Giants in 2012, he performed well for their Dominican Summer League team. However, he then missed the next two years, leading to his release. Signed by the Yankees in 2016, Loaisiga underwent Tommy John surgery after making just one appearance, further delaying his career.

When he was finally able to pitch in 2017, Loaisiga showed that he could potentially dominate. He rose from the rookie leagues all the way to the Yankees by the end of the 2018 campaign, his ability completely undeniable. Although he was back in the minors in 2019, his track record showed that he could be a future option for New York.

That future may come this year. He seemingly has nothing left to prove in the minors, having posted a 2.89 ERA and a 1.038 WHiP, striking out 164 batters with just 33 walks in 177.1 innings. However, that command has not been there in his time in the majors, leading to a pedestrian 4.79 ERA and a 1.509 WHiP. Over his 56.1 major league innings, he has struck out 70 batters, but also issued 28 walks.

If Jonathan Loaisiga can find his command at the major league level, he could be a solid option for the New York Yankees rotation. He will get that chance in Spring Training.

Deivi Garcia

At some point, Deivi Garcia will get his chance in the New York Yankees rotation. That could happen as soon as this season.

Considered the Yankees top pitching prospect heading into the 2019 campaign, Garcia had a breakout campaign last year. He attracted notice by firing seven perfect innings, striking out 12 in a game that his team eventually lost. Garcia used that as a springboard to post ridiculous strikeout rates, rocketing all the way to AAA last season.

However, that 2019 campaign was not exactly the smoothest for the talented 20 year old. In his 111.1 innings, he struck out an incredible 165 batters, but also issued 54 walks. Those command issues led to a 4.28 ERA and a 1.347 WHiP, even though he allowed just 7.8 hits per nine innings.

Obviously, Garcia still has a lot to work on. His stuff is absolutely filthy, but there are questions about whether or not he can actually throw his excellent curve for strikes. His smaller frame and high effort delivery are also concerns, but when he is right, Garcia is one of the top pitching prospects in the game.

The time will come for Deivi Garcia to be a part of the New York Yankees rotation. While that could even happen this year, it would be a surprise if he broke camp with the team.