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New York Yankees: How NYY plans to manage rotation

By Adam Taylor McKillop

BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - JULY 29: Manager Aaron Boone of New York Yankees relieves starting pitcher Gerrit Cole #45 during their game against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on July 29, 2020 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - JULY 29: Manager Aaron Boone of New York Yankees relieves starting pitcher Gerrit Cole #45 during their game against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on July 29, 2020 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images) /
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Since the very beginning of March, fans of the New York Yankees have been eagerly awaiting a final decision on the starting rotation. There was an influx of speculation and debate whether manager Aaron Boone would employ a six-man starting rotation, and it appears we finally have an answer. At least, for the time being.

According to recent reports, the Yankees will get pretty creative with his starting rotation in the month of April. It won’t be your traditional six-man rotation with five games between each starting pitcher, although there’s nothing traditional about these expanded rotations.

Yankees set a creative rotation for staff

As Lindsey Adler of The Athletic reports, the rotation begins with one of the MLB’s best starting pitchers,  Gerrit Cole. Two-time Cy Young Award winner Corey Kluber gets the nod in game two, followed by the return of Domingo German in game three.

Young left-hander Jordan Montgomery is set for game four before the rotation returns to Cole in New York’s fifth game of the season.

This is where the Yankees plan to get creative. Instead of returning to Kluber for his second turn in the rotation, Boone plans to start Jameson Taillon in game six.

It’s a different approach, but this creative rotation accomplishes a few different important goals for the Yankees. For one, and arguably the most important of these goals, Cole will continue to pitch to a normal five-man schedule. This allows the Yankees’ ace to pitch as much as possible throughout the rotation. And, for a starting pitcher of his caliber and talent, it’s not smart to mess with his normal routine.

This creative rotation also allows Boone to manage the other members. Aside from Cole and Kluber, the two proven and veteran members of this staff, none of the other four names have thrown 200 innings at any point in their careers.

Taillon, the third most veteran member of the staff, has come close to that figure as he threw 191 innings in 2018. But, he hasn’t pitched since 2019 because of Tommy John surgery. Kluber also threw only one inning in 2020 due to injuries while German sat out last season due to suspension.

The return to a full 162-game season in 2021 has brought stress to every team owner and manager, especially regarding a pitching staff. Lance Lynn led all of baseball in innings pitched last season, but accumulated just 84 innings as a result of the pandemic-shortened season. That number is a fraction of what normal MLB starting pitchers throw in a normal campaign.

For New York, considering three members of the starting staff essentially did not pitch in 2020, Boone has to finesse their load management. It’s a creative idea and Yankees’ fans are hopeful it’s a successful one.

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