The Tuesday Discussion – What Will Be 2020’s Biggest Surprise?

This week we asked our writers:

What will be the Yankees’ biggest surprise that takes place this season?

Here are the responses:

Matthew Cohen – The Yankees biggest surprise will be Aaron Boone’s playoff-like use of the bullpen. With only 60 games, every game is crucial and relievers will be less likely to get burned out over a shorter season.

Expect starters to get pulled early if they struggle.

Mike Whiteman – I think the biggest surprise this season will be an elite performance by JA Happ, which will force the Yanks into a difficult decision on a 2021 and possibly beyond contract (assuming that he isn’t going to be vested due to the abbreviated season).

Lincoln Mitchell – The biggest surprise of the Yankees season this year will be if they are able to finish it.

Ethan Semendinger – The biggest surprise will be that the Yankees actually run away with the division. They’ll start hot. They’ll stay hot. And they will end hot. The Yankees will win close to 40 games this year.

James Vlitstra – Biggest surprise for me is a tough one. I would not be surprised if they have a Cy Young winner, MVP winner, or even Manager of the Year winner.

I suppose after all the injuries last year and the pandemic this year, I would be surprised if they used less than 40 players.

Upon further thoughts, I guess the biggest surprise will be Clarke Schmidt going from a non-roster invitee to the front runner to be Rookie of the Year within the next two months.

Paul Semendinger – (maybe this is more me hoping than what will actually happen…) Aaron Judge and Giancarlo stay healthy all season and end up as the top two home run hitters in the American League.

Derek McAdam – With a shortened season, there are plenty of surprises that may take place during those 60 games. But I believe the biggest surprise is going to be Clarke Schmidt. He has already been a top prospect in the Yankee organization for a while and has impressed many with his pitch arsenal in the Summer Training games. With Masahiro Tanaka possibly out to begin the season, as well as the Yankees possibly resorting to a six-man rotation, Schmidt might find himself getting 10 starts or so this year. I believe he will be able to finish the season with a record over .500 and an ERA under 4.00, and that will be the biggest surprise on the Yankees this season.

Andy Singer – I think that there could be any number of surprises in a season that will be unprecedented for so many reasons. Forced to pick one, I am going to say that Luis Medina arrives on the scene 1-2 years early, throwing fire for 1-3 innings per relief outing. His stuff is so good, and his control has improved just enough to make him a key reliever in the Yankee bullpen in 2020, setting up a Joba Chamberlain-like dilemma in 2021. Funky roster dynamics created by the short season allow Medina to sneak onto the 30-man roster at the start of the year, and he becomes one of the biggest stories for the Yankees this year.

Patrick Gunn – Chad Green will be the biggest surprise for the Yankees this season. He will find a way to put together a complete, dominant season and remind Yankees fans why he was so highly touted in years past.