This Yankee Will Be a Vital Piece for the Starting Rotation
By Derek McAdam
Gerrit Cole was signed last off-season as the ace of the Yankee squad. He is the Yankees’ perfect option to begin their rotation, but the pieces behind him were up for grabs coming into Spring Training.
It was expected that Jordan Montgomery, Corey Kluber and Jameson Taillon were locked to be in the rotation with the final spot up for grabs between several Yankees including Domingo German, Jonathan Loaisiga, Deivi Garcia and several other names.
The one Yankee pitcher that arguably has had the best Spring Training is German, who has started three games. In nine innings, he has allowed zero runs, five hits, one walk and 13 strikeouts. For him, this is the best possible scenario that could happen.
German was suspended all of last season as part of an 81-game suspension for domestic violence. He was eligible to return for the 2020 post-season but was not included on the roster.
While the starting rotation has performed well this spring, they will need to make the transition into the regular season with the same, or similar results.
Teams like the Yankees know that injuries can pop up at any time. After all, Zack Britton and Clarke Schmidt are two Yankee pitchers who are expected to miss time. Kluber and Taillon are both coming off injury-riddled seasons, but seem to be healthy.
Once again, injuries have plagued the Yankees over the past couple of seasons. It is not okay to just assume they will remain healthy or start strong in the regular season in a cold New York April and May.
This is where German comes into play. He may be despised as an individual because of his actions, but that is not the point. If the Yankees want to have a successful 2021 season, they will need to rely on starters other than Cole.
If German can return to his form from the 2019 season, the Yankees may be a team to watch out for come playoff time. He is off to a good start and solidifying his role in the rotation to begin the season.
Whether or not he will be liked by the Yankee fans, German will be a vital piece for the starting rotation this season. He will be given a second chance.
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