10 Positions in 10 Weeks: Analyzing the Pitching Staff
In the final week of a 10-part series, I will be looking at the 2021 pitching staff and who could be making up that portion of the roster.
Entering his sophomore season in the Bronx, Gerrit Cole will be leading the Yankees’ pitching staff during the 2021 season in what may be his first full season in pinstripes. Cole’s 2020 season was promising to Yankee fans, with the 30-year old posting a 7-3 record with a 2.84 ERA in 12 starts.
The next starter to begin the season may end up being Jordan Montgomery, who will be looking to have a bounce-back season after a 2-3 record and a 5.11 ERA. Montgomery has yet to pitch a full season since the 2017 campaign.
One of the young members of the Yankee staff will also be an important figure this upcoming season and could be the third starter to begin the season. Deivi Garcia will be entering his second season in the big leagues after starting six games in 2020 with a 3-2 record and a 4.98 ERA.
Luis Severino will be expected to join the Yankees at some point during the middle of the season after undergoing Tommy John Surgery in February. Although he may not be able to give the Yankees full starts this season, he will be a vital piece in September and October.
To begin the season, there will be two starting positions that will be up for grabs. Clarke Schmidt, Jonathan Loaisiga and Michael King could be the three players who could be competing for one, possibly two spots. Domingo German may also be in the mix to get his starting position back, who has not appeared in a game since 2019.
As with previous seasons, the Yankees will go into the 2021 season with another solid bullpen. Aroldis Chapman, Zack Britton, Adam Ottavino, Chad Green and several others will be returning to provide their services. With the uncertainty of how well the starting rotation may perform, the bullpen may be more important than ever.
Whichever players that do not make the starting rotation will most likely see themselves in the bullpen. All three of Schmidt, King and Loaisiga have experience in the bullpen, so they could be used as long-term relievers or as one inning guys.
While there is still the possibility of the Yankees bringing back one of their current free agent starters from last season, there does not seem to be much optimism that it happens.
As for the bullpen, there is still a chance that the Yankees sign some more bullpen help. After all, there is no such thing as too much pitching.
My prediction is that the Yankee pitching does well enough to get the Yankees into the postseason, along with some help from the offense. I believe that Montgomery and Garcia will have big roles and will become reliable starters in the rotation.
As for the bullpen, they will continue to play their part. Chapman continues to close out games for the Yankees and the depth will come in handy towards the end of the season.
Finally, I would like to thank all of you for tuning in over the past two and a half months for my series of articles. These were fun to write and provide my personal opinions on, and I only wish the series would last longer. I look forward to doing these next off-season, and hope everyone can read these articles a year from now!
Photo credit: Mitchell Layton/Getty Images
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