The New York Yankees have been red-hot so far in the last week of April, but which player is most deserving for the credit?
So 15 different starters hit the IL this season and the Yankees are how many games out of first place? Knowing the Yankees of the past, the combination of the majority of position players injured and their West Coast woes, it was looking like a bleak start. However, there was one thing that has remained constant over the course of the season; the starting pitching.
The main focus of the offseason was to accumulate pitching talent that could help the Yankees regain championship form. As of May 1, the James Paxton deal looks like it is paying off. With a little hiccup at the beginning of the season, his past three starts have been nothing short of sensational. His SO/9 is a scorching 13.2. That is Josh Hader and prime Aroldis Chapman numbers. Looking as calm as ever on the rubber, Yankees fans should expect more of the same throughout the season.
What the Yankees are getting out of Tanaka and CC are nothing short of expectations, as they have been able to produce quality starts against quality opponents. As this is CC’s last year, he is on a mission for his second championship. In his three starts since coming off the IL, he is sporting a 2.40 ERA in 15 innings pitched and is looking like the Hall of Fame pitcher he will be in five years.
Things weren’t looking too hot for the veteran left-handed pitcher J.A. Happ since the start of spring training. His last four starts, he has yielded a 2.21 ERA and has looked every bit of his 2018 self. If he has control of his fastball, he is a force on the mound and the confidence to win with him has been trending upwards for the past two weeks.
Domingo Germán, are you kidding me? The organization and fan base knew he had the talent to be a top-of-the-rotation starter, but how quickly he has been able to tap into his potential and become a force for the Yankees early on is important to this team with the absence of Luis Severino. Earlier, I had compared the two and how their paths coming up to the majors have been similar over the course of the past three years. With this pleasant surprise, fans will start to notice a sense of calmness for German moving forward.
Aaron Boone deserves a ton of credit for sticking to the script and riding with his pitching staff. His willingness to adapt to a new lineup and to welcome in these new players and create a family-like atmosphere has helped tremendously in their efforts to keep winning.
The starting pitching is the most deserving for keeping the Yankees upright, and it is not even close.