Opening Day is inching closer for the New York Yankees and their rotation is shaping up to be one of the best all-round the league.
With spring training coming up, the Yankees finally have their ace. Back in December, the Yankees signed Gerrit Cole to a nine-year, $324 million contract. The team has a lot of young arms in their minor league system but with CC Sabathia retiring and Domingo German being suspended, the rotation is still not officially set.
When Cole was signed, the projected rotation would’ve had Cole, Tanaka, Severino, Paxton, and Happ. Last week, it was reported by the Yankees that James Paxton was dealing with a lower back injury late in the playoffs and that the left-handed pitcher underwent microscopic lumbar discectomy with the removal of a peridiscal cyst.
When it always came to the Yankees rotation everybody was skeptical. A majority of the team was injured last year and the Yankees(rotation/bullpen) posted a 4.31 ERA and ranked 14th overall in pitching last season. I believe if the first three core starters can stay healthy all season, and bullpen does there job, pitching will be the least of the Yankees worries.
Going back to the Yankees young arms, this was tweeted by Bryan Hoch last week:
With a lot of young arms and with their potential, it will come to the final game of Spring Training to really determine who really gets that 5th spot until Paxton comes back. For the 2020 Yankees starting rotation, I’m predicting:
1. Gerrit Cole
2. Masahiro Tanaka
3. Luis Severino
4. J.A. Happ
5. Jordan Montgomery
The reason I went with Jordan Montgomery out of the entire young arms is because Jordan has had the experience and I believe coming back from Tommy John surgery for a full year especially in the rotation, he will come back better and stronger. Let’s wait and see what Aaron Boone and the coaching staff agree on come after spring training. All we know it’s going to come down to the wire for that last spot.