The 2021 New York Yankees have a lot of question marks in the rotation. A lot of fans are right that the Yankees need to add to their rotation, but the disrespect to the arms already there is baffling. The Yankees starting pitching will most likely be fine, and with a solid arm added in there, they’ll be the AL favorites for the pennant. The Rays and Indians are weakened, and only the NL stands in their way of number 28. This pitching staff just needs fine-tuning to become one of the best in baseball.
2021 New York Yankees: Reinforcements
The New York Yankees are getting back a starter who will replace JA Happ’s awful production. This starter is their young controversial RHP Domingo German, who is a solid pitcher. In 2019 he had a 3.97 pCRA and 4.06 SIERA in 143 innings. In his career, he has a 3.91 SIERA and 3.84 pCRA, suggesting he’s got the potential to be quite a solid arm. He also has nearly 2,600 RPM on his curveball, and with JA Happ presumably out and German in, that’s a drastic upgrade for a team who had finished 5th in SP SIERA in 2020.
New York Yankees Starting Pitching Will Get Better With Their Coaches
Matt Blake will get a full Spring Training and a 162-game season to work with the New York Yankees and their arms. His analytical approach will pay dividends for a staff that requires help. These pitchers are very talented, yet they fail to reach said potential. Pitchers like Jordan Montgomery saw a boost with Matt Blake there, as he posted a 3.84 SIERA and 3.52 pCRA in 2020. The 2021 New York Yankees will have more strikeouts and will utilize their pitches to generate more whiffs and be more effective.
Looking to the Free Agent Market
The Yankees will do either one of two things: They’ll either bring back veteran RHP Masahiro Tanaka, or they’ll go after a reclamation project like former Cy Young winner Corey Kluber. This team is not going to let both Paxton and Tanaka walk without spending money. They’ll spend every last dollar in their budget, and they’ll do it wisely. This isn’t the avenue to expect an elite starter from, as the starting pitching market isn’t good. They’ll be in the trade market and land themselves a good arm.
Fringe Starters With a Bullpen Role
Guys like Jonathan Loaisiga and Michael King definitely are talented, but I don’t see them as full-fledged starters right now. Loaisiga’s fastball is incredible, and he could maybe crack the Yankees starting pitching corps, it’s unlikely. He’s much more effective in a bullpen role, where he can come in and light up the radar gun. King comes off as a guy who’s also able to bounce back as a reliever if all else fails. His sinker and curveball are going to be a weapon if he’s on the roster. They have young promising arms, and these youngsters can be perfect for the 2021 New York Yankees starting pitching depth.
The Luis Severino Problem
The fate of the rotation can be drastically altered if Luis Severino comes back and is dominant. He was one of the best pitchers in baseball when he was healthy, and he can be amazing for the Yankees once again. I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s the pitcher the Yankees need to make a title run with. The Yankees starting pitching would be unstoppable with Severino. While the Yankees shouldn’t rely on him, they should anticipate him.
The 2021 New York Yankees have the talent, now it’s just a matter of translating it.
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