By Derek McAdam
January 7, 2022
***
Now that baseball is over a month into the lockout, it seems as if the 2022 season is still far away. But the hope is for the Yankees’ season to start in less than 90 days from now in Texas.
There are still many questions circling the Yankee organization, including who will be playing shortstop and first base, amongst other positions. But here are three players who may have big seasons in 2022 for the Yankees and why that may happen.
Luis Gil
There was not much more to ask of a 23-year old pitcher in his first six big-league starts than what Luis Gil gave the Yankees last season. In 29.1 innings, he posted a 1-1 record with 38 strikeouts and provided a glimpse of what could be to come.
Gil did have a couple of problems with control, walking 19 batters during his span. But Luis Severino and Domingo German have both had their share of control issues when first coming up in the big leagues. This is an issue that can be fixed and most likely has been or will be fixed soon.
With Jameson Taillon out to begin the season and the uncertainty of what the starting rotation will look like, Gil may be able to slide in to be a bottom-of-the-rotation pitcher. Even if he does not win ten games for the Yankees, he still has the potential for a big season.
Luis Severino
It has been a while since the Yankees have been able to get an extended glance of Severino in the big leagues. For the last three seasons, he has suffered several injuries and setbacks and has only appeared in a handful of games for the Yankees.
Luckily for the Yankees and Severino, it seems as if the injuries are behind him and he is ready to go into the 2022 season fully healthy. It has been a while since Yankee fans have seen Severino dominate on the mound and he is hoping to get back to that form this upcoming season.
Severino is also another pitcher that will be called upon with the injury to Taillon and the departure of Corey Kluber. If he has a solid Spring Training (or whenever it occurs), he may fit in right behind Gerrit Cole as the No. 2 option in the rotation.
Joey Gallo
This choice may look ridiculous, but hear me out. Gallo had one of the worst starts to a Yankee career, batting only .160 with the Yankees in a little over two months. It may be regarded as one of the worst trades Brian Cashman has ever made.
The good thing for Cashman is that Gallo has another season to prove himself. He was able to get used to life in the Bronx and get his feet wet, but 2022 will be the ultimate test.
Gallo has never been a player to hit for average, but if he can give the Yankees a .230 or .235 season at the plate with 30+ home runs and solid defense, they will gladly take it.
Before he went into an extended slump just before being traded to the Yankees, Gallo was not having a terrible season with Texas. It just so happened that the Yankees traded for him at the beginning of this brutal slump and he never happened to break out of it.
I do not expect Gallo to hit above .250 for the entire season, but I do think he will be able to have a much better season for the Yankees than his brief stint last year.
Kommentare