The Yankees pitching always comes with questions. Many have critiqued the staff, saying that outside of Gerrit Cole, they have nobody ready to be a “true number two.” That is just not the case. The Yanks have a fine rotation. Leading the way is the clear-cut Ace, Gerrit Cole. Cole has amassed a 23-11 record in two seasons with New York, with a 3.04 ERA and 337 strikeouts. It may be fair to say the pitching concerns are not aimed in the direction of Cole in the slightest.
More than likely, the real question would be “who is the number two?’ In all reality, the answer to that question should be Luis Severino. However, the answer to this question is really “a fully healthy Luis Severino.” It’s no secret that the past two seasons have not been kind to Sevy, as in February of 2020, he had been diagnosed with a torn UCL and required Tommy John surgery while additionally removing a bone chip from his elbow in the process. He would avoid missing what could have been nearly two full seasons due to the COVID-19 shortened season of 2020 that saw just 60 games played. In total, Sevy would miss 218 games, which isn’t entirely terrible when you consider that he could have missed 324 total. In the later stages of the 2021 campaign, Sevy would finally return to the bump, making four appearances with a 1-0 record, striking out eight and not allowing a single run. To make a long story short, Sevy looked just like himself in his return. To get a clear idea of what Severino is capable of at 100% strength, you would have to look at his age 24 season back in 2018, where he would post a 19-8 record, 3.39 ERA, and 220 strikeouts. Before the arrival of Gerrit Cole, many Yankee fans were convinced that Severino would be the ace of the future. But with Cole now in the picture, Severino is not a bad option to have in the number two spot and, should he remain healthy for 2022, makes the Yankees 1-2 combo in the pitching rotation incredibly lethal.
Jordan Montgomery has always been a questionable topic of discussion. When he’s on his game, he is hard to hit, but it gets ugly and fast when he is off. Another victim of Tommy John surgery would end his season early into the 2018 season. He would return to the Yanks late into 2019 to do two innings of work that weren’t pretty, allowing seven hits and three earned runs, one of which was a home run. 2021 was a much friendlier year for Gumby. Although he would post a 6-7 record, he would still see 157.1 innings and strike out 162 batters. One stat Yankee fans should be concerned with when it comes to Gumby is the home runs. In 2022, he let 19 balls leave the yard. 19 doesn’t seem like a lot, but when you consider his 30 games started, that’s over one long ball every other start. Montgomery can be a stable number three option, but with Deivi Garcia and Clarke Schmidt waiting for their chances to crack the rotation, anything less than spectacular could cost him his job as a Yankee.
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Jameson Taillon is… something. Acquired by the Yankees in January of 2021, he had an average season at best. Posting an 8-6 record through 29 starts, Taillon certainly underperformed to the expectations that came with him. I think it’s rational to say no Yankee fan ever expected him to go 30-5 all season long, but giving up four prospects for a win-loss record barely over .500, is not ideal. Like Montgomery, the long ball stat here is unappetizing, seeing two dozen balls leave the park in 2021. While Taillon’s job as a member of the rotation for 2022 may be safe (for now), the younger pitching prospects on the rise could swoop in to assume the role at any moment.
Nestor Cortes Jr. is Easily a fan favorite. Dubbed “Nasty Nestor,” Cortes would rejoin the Yankees staff in 2021, after spending a year away in Seattle, for his third stint with the Bronx Bombers. Though Nasty Nestor would only start 14 games, he would still pitch 93 innings and exit the season with a 2.90 ERA and 103 strikeouts. Many believe Cortes is the fifth man to a rotation, eating innings from the bullpen and having a five-inning start. Don’t expect to see Nasty Nestor anywhere except the Major League roster anytime soon.
And that takes us to the bullpen, one of the most beautiful disasters within the Yankees organization. When the bullpen as a whole is clicking, it can be a top-five relief staff in the league. But when they aren’t in their groove, man, it can get hard to watch. Starting from the closing responsibility, Aroldis Chapman has been considered one of the league’s best for many years now. One problem surrounding Chapman is consistency. Though Chapman left 2021 with 30 saves and 97 strikeouts, Chapman would go on a few weeks’ spans of dominating the closer role and then fade to obscurity for another few weeks. In a season where pitching can make or break the Yankee season, it is ever so crucial that Chapman can stay consistently dominant.
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Jonathan Loaisiga, Chad Green, and Clay Holmes are a terrific supporting cast for Chapman. Green, now going into his seventh big-league season with the Yankees, only gets better as time goes on. The 2021 campaign proved to be his best, posting a 10-7 record, a 3.12 ERA, and even throwing six saves into the mix. Loaisiga would have a strong season, posting a 9-4 record with five saves and 69 strikeouts. Clay Holmes, acquired from the Pirates in the summer, came to the Bronx and dominated. 5-2 record, 1.61 ERA, and 34 strikeouts through 28 innings of work. Averaging over a strikeout per inning is a great stat line, and the hope would be that Holmes can maintain that going into 2022.
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Of course, there is additional help spread through from Wandy Peralta, Lucas Luetge, and Michael King. Clarke Schmidt appears to be making the roster as a reliever, along with the addition of former Mets reliever Miguel Castro. It will be interesting to see how Castro will translate to the other side of New York baseball. As a Met, he would have a respectable 77 strikeouts and a 3.45 ERA through 69 appearances. Though it would be nice to see the ERA drop slightly, Castro should be an excellent addition to the bullpen staff for 2022.
