Masahiro Tanaka

New York Yankees 2020 Preview: Masahiro Tanaka

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New York Yankees, Masahiro Tanaka

Over the next several weeks, you will be seeing player previews for all players on the New York Yankees. They will be released five or six days a week leading up into about mid-March.

The first player that we will be previewing is the longest tenured starting pitcher, Masahiro Tanaka.

In 2019, Tanaka was an all-star for the second time in his career. He was 11-9 with a 4.45 ERA but did fade a little bit later in the season. The righty from Itami, Japan struck out 149 batters in 182 innings with a 1.24 WHIP. He was 2-1 this past postseason and has gained a reputation for postseason success.

Tanaka is currently 31 years old and expected to be a free agent following the 2021 season.

2020 Expectations:

Masahiro Tanaka will be somewhere in the middle of the Yankees rotation. Gerrit Cole will be the obvious ace, and JA Happ will be the fifth starter. It’s a toss-up between Tanaka, Severino, and Paxton for the second, third, and fourth starter roles. All three could succeed in all three spots.

Tanaka will be going into his seventh major league season, which is hard to believe. It seems like he made his debut just a few years ago.

He will look to best his 2014 rookie season where he 13-5 with a 2.77 ERA. Tanaka has made it very clear that he is a perfectionist and has been working hard all winter.

It would be great if he could have a season like his rookie season, but the Yankees don’t need him to do that. If he can have an ERA under 3.50 and give the Yankees consistent quality starts, then that’s all the team needs. He could be a guy that the Yankees rely on to keep the bullpen rested, as he often keeps a low pitch count.

 

MLB names three Yankees in top 20 free agents for 2021 – potential huge losses

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New York Yankees, James Paxton, Masahiro Tanaka

The New York Yankees will have a few big decisions to make during the 2021 offseason. While they still have 2020 to reach the World Series and capitalize on their $324 million investment in their starting pitching rotation, several players will be allowed to walk.

The Yankee way of life can be overwhelming for some, but consistent winning and personal success often proves to be a driving factor for the better players in the league.

The three players the Yankees must deal with next offseason are:

1.) James Paxton, LHP, NYY, age 32

While a knee injury hampered Paxton in 2019, he produced a stellar second half of the season leading into the playoffs. As one of the better lefty starters in the league when healthy, the Yankees should consider keeping him around for another season or two, depending on if he’s willing to accept a short-term deal. With his prime quickly moving along, he might be inclined to take a long-term deal elsewhere, which could be a deterrent for the Bombers.

2.) DJ LeMahieu, INF, NYY, age 32

LeMahieu has been a stellar addition since his inception last season, posting incredible offensive numbers and acting as a true utility player across the infield. His .327 batting average, 26 homers, and 106 RBIs attest to the season he enjoyed in Pinstripes. The Yankees would be foolish to let him slip away, as he can be the starting second baseman for years to come, and they can always transition him into a first baseman down the road if needed.

His two-year, $24 million deal will need to be increased exponentially to retain him, though, as he’s deserving of far more. His OPS+ (136) last season and consistent health only attribute towards the value he brings to the club.

3.)  Masahiro Tanaka, RHP, NYY, age 32

While Tanaka has been a horse for the Yankees, he’s quickly losing velocity on his pitches and giving up more hits. In 2019, he allowed 186 hits, a career-high over six seasons. If he sees further degradation in 2020, the Yankees will have no choice but to let him test the free-agent market.

Factoring the partial UCL tear in his throwing elbow and there’s no telling how much longer Tanaka can survive until having to endure Tommy John surgery. The injury has been present since 2014, and he hasn’t missed significant time, so he may escape once more without suffering anything catastrophic.

Just how good are the New York Yankees starting pitchers in the postseason?

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New York Yankees, Luis Severino

Having a true No. 1 ace in the starting pitching rotation is already a rare thing in Major League Baseball. Having arguably the best pitcher in baseball and two top-level starters right behind him seems ludicrous, and for the New York Yankees, that’s their reality.

Signing Gerrit Cole to a nine-year, $324 million contract solidified the Yankees’ starting rotation beyond Luis Severino and James Paxton.

Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner stated before the offseason that he would be satisfied with the starting pitching rotation with Jordan Montgomery returning.

“For the most part, I think our starting pitching was good this year,’’ Steinbrenner said. “Even missing [Luis] Severino and [Jordan] Montgomery [for most or all of the season due to injuries].”

“If the 2020 season was to start tomorrow, I would feel considerably more confident than I did a year ago at this time,’’ Steinbrenner said. “We will have both Severino and Montgomery back. We now know that [Domingo] German can pitch effectively at this level. And we know [James] Paxton can be the guy that we were hoping for when we made that trade. We have [Masahiro] Tanaka, [J.A.] Happ, [Jonathan] Loaisiga, and perhaps [Deivi] Garcia at some point. A very good rotation.’’

The New York Yankees now enter the 2020 season with an intimidating group:

  1. Gerrit Cole
  2. Luis Severino
  3. James Paxton
  4. Masahiro Tanaka
  5. Jordan Montgomery
  6. J.A. Happ
  7. Domingo German (after suspension)
  8. Michael King

It’s possible the Yankees trade Happ in the coming weeks, as his $17 million salary will put the Yanks further in luxury tax hell, and considering his awful 2019 season, he’s expendable. The return of Montgomery should provide a reliable replacement for Happ.

However, I’m most excited about the unit’s postseason dominance, as Cole, who dominated during the 2019 playoffs, will now be the Yankees’ premier starter.

Four-man rotation postseason statistics (2019):

Gerrit Cole: 1.47 ERA, 36.2 innings, 21 hits, 4 HRs

Luis Severino: 2.07 ERA, 8.1 innings, 9 hits, 2 HRs

James Paxton: 3.97 ERA, 12.3 innings, 13 hits, 2 HRs

Masahiro Tanaka: 2.12 ERA, 16 innings, 8 hits, 1 HR

Combined, the four pitchers had a 2.40 ERA in 2019, and this was Paxton’s first postseason appearance (he had the highest ERA of the group). With Paxton earning a few playoff innings, he should see an increase in efficiency moving forward (assumption).

Beyond these four options, the Bombers have plenty of support if they need it. German had a great second season, and Montgomery earned a sub-.400 ERA in his first two professional seasons. To summarize, the Yankees have a genuinely unfair starting rotation.

What do the Yankees do with the Ticking Timebomb in Tanaka’s Elbow?

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New York Yankees, Masahiro Tanaka

Masahiro Tanaka has been a fixture In the New York Yankees rotation since his debut in 2014. He was electric that rookie season, right up until the partial year in his pitching elbow was discovered. Rather than go through a full year of recovering and rehab from Tommy John surgery, Tanaka elected to simply rehab the tear. To this date, Tanaka still has that partial year in his elbow. And this is the final year of his contract. So it begs two very important questions:

First: What Does Tanaka Do?

As it’s been the case since he made his choice, Tanaka’s elbow could go at any minute. The fact that is still the case in the most important season of his career, should worry Tanaka. He went from being the Yankees bonafide ace, to the 3rd or 4th man in the rotation (depending on how you view Paxton’s August through October last year). Based on his postseason record, Tanaka will want ace caliber money, or something akin to what Stephen Strasberg got. With diminishing returns in the regular season each of the last 4 seasons, it’s hard for him to make that claim about his value. Especially if he finally has to get the surgery at some point in 2020.

Next, What do the Yankees Do?

It seems likely that when German’s suspension is over, he’ll slide into the rotation as the 5th starter. Deivi Garcia is poised to crack the starting rotation as a strike throwing machine. Jordan Montgomery, Johnathan Loaisiga and Luis Cesa are also all going to be viable spot start candidates moving forward. In order to build for the future, you sometimes have to dismantle the past, and Tanaka’s presence in the rotation may have to be dismantled moving into 2021.

Remember when the Yankees let David Robertson walk after 2018? Who’d have thought that he’d go down with Tommy John? The Phillies certainly didn’t, but the Yankees look a little smarter as a result. Plus, Tanaka is going to be 31 by seasons end. If the Yankees weren’t prepared to offer Didi Gregorius even a one year deal, being north of 30, with diminishing returns defensively (and offensively), why would they give Tanaka a likely 7 year deal? Especially if he goes down with Tommy John at any point this season?

It’s going to be interesting to see how things unfold with Tanaka. If the Yankees do give Tanaka a new contract, it may be with the caveat of Tanaka HAVING to get Tommy John by his signing. The only thing we can do right now is wait and see.

The New York Yankees: Pitching for the 2020 Season and Beyond!

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New York Yankees, Luis Severino

The New York Yankees are set with their rotation for the 2020 season with the exciting acquisition of arguably the best pitcher in baseball, Gerrit Cole, to head up an already steady rotation. He will head up a rotation of Luis Severino, James Paxton, and Masahiro Tanaka. The fifth spot is a little confused due to the suspension of Domingo German for the first 63 games of the season. Jordan Montgomery or J.A. Happ will fill that slot if he is not traded.

However, German will most likely fill the fifth spot in the rotation upon his return. Beyond that, if any Yankee starter is injured, several pitchers could fill in a make an impact. Jonathan Loaisiga and Micheal King, to name a few. Besides a strong starting rotation, the Yankees are in an advantageous position due to their depth.

Although this article is about starters, one must remember that if any of the starters falter, the Yankees have one of the best bullpens in baseball. They could be looking to strengthen the bullpen even further.

Breaking down the New York Yankees’ starting pitching rotation:

Gerrit Cole: Gerrit Cole has done nothing but get better during his career.  With the Pirates for five seasons, he was 59-42, which would be a satisfactory record for a pitcher on any team. After being traded to the Houston Astros in 2018, he would have a breakout season going 15-5 with an ERA of 2.88.

In 2019 he bested that with an additional five wins with the same losses and an improved ERA of 2.50.  His ERA was once again improved in the postseason when he lowered it to 1.305 and a record of 4-1.  There is no reason to assume he will get less than several wins in the high teens this coming year.  If the rest of the pitching staff performs similar as they did last season, that means an additional 3 or 4 wins at the least on the season.  If Luis Severino pitches to his capabilities, this could be a year where the Yankees could eclipse the 1998 season.

Luis Severino: Severino, this year, will be coming back from a season where he didn’t pitch until the last two weeks of the season.  In 2017 he was 14-6, and in 2018, he was 19-8 with an ERA of 3.39.  Both years he was in the running for the Cy Young Award and an All-Star.

This past season during spring training, he suffered rotator cuff inflammation, and when he was recovering from that,  a stubborn lat strain that had him away from the team until late September.  In his 2019 games, he was 1-1 with an ERA of 1.50.  In the postseason against the Twins, he pitched four innings of no-run ball in the Yankees win in the ALDS against the Twins.  In the ALCS, he pitched 4.1 innings giving up two runs in a game the Yankees lost to the Houston Astros.  In that three-game homestand, the Yankees lost all of their games at the Stadium. The Yankees are hoping a rested, and injury-free Severino will return to his 2018 form.  If he does, he could compete with Cole as the Yankee’s best pitcher.

James Paxton: Paxton started the season slowly, but came on strong in the second half of the season.  The Yankees won all of his last eleven starts in which he recorded ten wins in a row. He ended the season at 15-6. He lost all five games he pitched in July.  Had he not had a bad July, he could have had the best record of any Yankee pitcher.  In this postseason, he gave up three runs in the game against Twins in the ALDS; in a game, the Yankees ultimately won.

In the ALCS against the Houston Astros, he allowed just two runs in 8.1 innings in a win against the Astros in Houston.  Paxton will be a free agent after this season.  Although Paxton is 31, he should have several more years of production.  The Yankees should offer him an extension of 3-4 years at similar pay.  Paxton is a relatively inexpensive number 2 or 3 starter.

Masahiro Tanaka: Masahiro Tanaka, when he was signed with the Yankees in 2014 he was supposed to be a top-line pitcher, and he didn’t disappoint.  In 2014 he went 13-5 with a 2.77 ERA — 2015 and 2016 were outstanding seasons when he recorded a 26-11 record.  In 2017 he started to show a decline in his four-seam fastball and had a poor season resulting in a 13-12 record.  Although he has approved somewhat in the past two years, he is showing signs of decline and continues to give up the long ball.  He is dependable and gives it his all in every start.  He has addressed the reduced velocity of his fastball, relying more on his slider and splitter this past season.  Like Paxton Tanaka also is a free agent after this season.  However, unlike Paxton, he is an expensive pitcher.   Considering what is out there to replace him, I would offer him an extension to his contract for a short period, say two years at a somewhat reduced annual salary.

Domingo German:  German came into his own during 2019, being asked to be a fill-in for the rehabbing Luis Severino. The Yankees were hoping he would at least be even in his win and loss record.  But German answered the calling by going 18-4,  before being suspended for breaking MLB rules on domestic violence.  If he had not been suspended, he may have had a 20 plus winning season and could have had a significant impact on the outcome of the Yankee postseason.  He will miss the first 63 games of the season, but considering last year’s record, he will likely replace whoever is in the fifth spot in the rotation upon his return.

Depending on how things go during spring training,  Jordan Montgomery will probably be the fifth starter in the rotation to begin the season, unless J.A Happ over performs in his spring.

What makes the Yankee’s pitching situation so bright, besides Cole leading off the rotation, is that great depth of the Yankees pitching picture.  If needed, Jonathan Loaisiga, Mike King, and Deivi Garcia and other prospects in the farm system could have an impact in the 2020 season and beyond.  This includes a sleeper by the name of Luis Gil, who has worked his way up through the system. Gil entered this season as the organization’s 13th-ranked prospect, according to MLB Pipeline. He currently ranks No. 4 and is pitched for the high-Class A Tarpons this past season.  The 2020 season certainly looks bright for the Yankees this year and into the future, with the possibility of several trips to the World Series.

New York Yankees: 2020 Projected Starting Rotation

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The New York Yankees signed Gerrit Cole over the offseason to bolster their starting rotation, shaking things up a bit. Here is my projection for their 2020 starting rotation.

1. Gerrit Cole

When the Yankees signed Cole, it was the obvious expectation that he would become the ace. For $324 million, he better be the ace. He’s coming off a year that saw him go 20-5 with a 2.50 ERA, but wasn’t charged with a loss after May 22nd.

The expectation of the ace is a dominant pitcher with both power and finesse, and he sure fits the bill.

2. Luis Severino

Severino isn’t far from an ace, which is why it makes sense that he would be the number two pitcher. He only pitched in three regular season games in 2019 due to injuries, but was 19-8 with a 3.39 ERA in 2018. He hit a wall in the second half of 2018 and struggled through some starts, but that’s kinda expected with someone that young.

I have full confidence that he will bounce back in 2020.

3. James Paxton

Paxton is the number three starter in my mind to split up the two lefties. I think that Tanaka may be a bit better than Paxton overall, but it’s better if the two lefties don’t pitch back-to-back starts.

Big Maple was 15-6 with a 3.82 ERA in his first year in pinstripes, but was much better in the second half of the year. If he can continue to stay healthy, he will thrive in the three spot in the rotation.

4. Masahiro Tanaka

As I already said, I put Tanaka at the four spot to split up the two lefties.

Tanaka was 11-9 with a 4.45 ERA in 2019. His numbers are higher because of his inconsistency. Normally, the starts that he wins are because he is completely dominant, and is completely dominated in games that he loses. However, he did manage to get an all-star nomination in 2019. If he’s just more consistent, then him and the Yankees are golden.

5. Jordan Montgomery

Montgomery missed most of the 2018 and 2019 seasons due to Tommy John surgery.

In his 2017 rookie campaign, he was 9-7 with a 3.88 ERA and was one of the best fifth starters in baseball. I feel that he will come back strong in 2020 with similar numbers.

I left JA Happ off this list with the expectation that he will be traded. Domingo German was left off the list due to his suspension, but I suspect that he will take Montgomery’s spot once eligible again. Montgomery would then shift to the bullpen.

 

A 10 Part Breakdown of the New York Yankees Depth: Starting Pitching

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New York Yankees, Gary Sanchez

In the last few seasons, the New York Yankees starting rotation was not as well as people thought it was. Masahiro Tanaka, the teams imported ace, has been giving up (on average) 4.5-4.9 runs per game, with an adjusted WAR of -0.1, averaging a .500 record over that time span. Luis Severino is still trying to figure himself out. And while CC Sabathia is now retired, he… uh, wasn’t great.

What About Now?

Gerrit Cole is a big upgrade. Like… such an upgrade that we catapult ourselves to the top of the league in terms of starting rotation. Our starting 4 looks like this:

  1. Gerrit Cole: WAR of 12.1 in two seasons with Houston, with 602 strikeouts compared to the 734 strikeouts he recorded as a Pirate.
  2. James Paxton: 26-12 over the last 2 seasons, with 394 strikeouts, and a WAR of 5.1 in the same time span.
  3. Luis Severino: Last season was shortened to just 12 innings in September. He still managed a 34-15 record since 2017, with 467 strikeouts, and a 10.7 WAR.
  4. Masahiro Tanaka: a WAR of 5.7 since 2017, he still averages about 150 strikeouts per season, with at least 1 complete game shutout. This is great stats for a number 4.

So Who’s the 5?

Boy howdy do we have options.

We don’t know yet what’s going to happen to Domingo German. Chances are if MLB levees a suspension against German, he’ll have a reduced sentence for time already served. But that will mean we need to figure out how to bridge the gap between then.

Jordan Montgomery would be a great filler, but we’re talking about a team that developed the Joba Rules, shut down Phil Hughes during the best season he had as a Yankee starter (screwing him up for the end of his tenure), and at least one massive implosion from more than one member of our bullpen at the WORST time every year for the last 5 seasons. They aren’t going to let Montgomery throw more than 150 innings next year.

What would be a smart move is to have Monty serve as an opener. We know Monty can go more than the one inning they let Chad Green go on average last season. Slowly building him up to 5 innings, and complimenting him with Happ (if we can’t move Happ) would allow us to save our pen throughout the entire season, which would mean they get to stay fresher during a push into October.

We finally have a starting rotation that can complement one of the best bullpens in the game. Everyone should be happy about this! I know I am.

The Yankees have a forgotten man in their starting pitching rotation

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New York Yankees, Domingo German

With Gerrit Cole plastering the headlines for the New York Yankees, other players have slipped through the cracks regarding media attention. Rightfully so, when you acquire the best pitcher in baseball for $324 million, however, the Yankees only added to an already steady starting pitching rotation.

Cole will join a group led by Luis Severino, Masahiro Tanaka, and James Paxton. The Bombers are now in a position to completely dominate all of baseball, starting with their pitching, a factor that has been tumultuous at times in recent years. As we saw last season, one injury can be catastrophic to the team, but manager Aaron Boone supplemented his losses with ease, utilizing his strong bullpen to smooth over wins.

The New York Yankees have a lowkey weapon waiting for reinstatement:

One of the Yankees’ more consistent pitchers in 2019 was Domingo German, who’s now facing domestic abuse allegations that will inevitably result in a lengthy suspension. I suspect German will be forced to sit out at least 40 games next season, but his return will be just another positive addition to the rotation. He will likely slot in as the 5th starter, behind Cole, Severino, Paxton, and Tanaka.

It’s also possible German is used in a bullpen role, especially if Jordan Montgomery is pitching well. Monty pitched two consecutive seasons of sub-4.00 ERA baseball before succumbing to Tommy John surgery.

German finished last season with an 18-4 record, logging a 4.03 ERA and 153 strikeouts. There’s little evidence to suggest German can’t re-enter the starting rotation and continue his development.

Going into just his third full season, Domingo is on track to become a potential ace or No. 2 man in the MLB, and while his suspension might hinder his progression a bit, he has all of the physical tools to be a premium arm. Having so much talent in the pitching rotation that German might not even crack the 5th spot is quite impressive.

New York Yankees Extensions: Tanaka vs. Paxton

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New York Yankees, James Paxton, Masahiro Tanaka

With Gerrit Cole leading the rotation, you might be able to say that the Yankees have the best starting unit in all of baseball. The top two spots, assuming everyone is healthy, are set in stone, but the third spot in the rotation has caused a little debate.

Some people believe building off the second-half success, that the third spot belongs to James Paxton. Others think it should belong to last year’s Opening Day starter, Masahiro Tanaka. What first world Yankee problems having to debate which one of those two should be their third starter in the rotation.

However, another debate needs to be had featuring these two pitchers. Which pitcher should the Yankees try to extend before they hit free agency next year? With many players coming up that will be receiving big raises like Aaron Judge, Gary Sanchez, Luis Severino, Gleyber Torres, etc. there very well might not be room on the books for both pitchers. Let’s breakdown each choice and see what we come up with.

The case for Masahiro Tanaka

Masahiro Tanaka is the been there, done that Yankees pitcher. Tanaka has been in New York for six seasons, which has seen him go 75-43 with a 3.75 ERA (Baseball-Reference). Tanaka has also anchored the Yankees in the postseason where he has a remarkable 1.76 ERA in eight postseason starts. Going into next offseason, Tanaka will be 32 years old. Tanaka is not going to cost as much money as it would be to extend a guy like James Paxton.

The two-time all-star has been pitching the last several seasons with a partial tear in his UCL, and he just had surgery on his elbow to remove bone spurs in October. Because of these factors, you’re likely to see him on the less expensive end for a starter after next season. Could see him get a deal similar to the one that Madison Bumgarner just received from the Diamondbacks at five years with a salary of around $85 million. Of course, a significant benefit for Tanaka is the fact that he’s not a fastball pitcher, which bodes well for him as his career progresses. Nobody should be upset if the Yankees bring back Masahiro Tanaka after next season to be their third starter moving forward.

The Case for James Paxton

After a bit of a rough start with the Yankees, you could make the argument that James Paxton was one of the best pitchers in the American League during the second half of last season. Overall, Paxton pitched to a 15-6 record with a 3.82 ERA in his first year with the Yankees (Baseball-Reference). Like Tanaka, James Paxton will be turning 32 years old going into next offseason. When he is on his game, the guy is lights out. Last year he had his second consecutive year where his strikeouts per nine were over 11.

On top of that, he’s a left-handed starter, and we all know how much the Yankees loved lefty starters. Now Paxton, who is represented by Scott Boras, is likely to command more money than Masahiro Tanaka. Like Tanaka, Paxton will probably be looking for a five or six-year deal. However, the total salary number is probably going to be north of $100 million. Paxton has ace stuff pitching from the left side and, because of his injury issues in the past, has 300 fewer innings on his arm. While Tanaka is more proven on the big stage, James Paxton very well might have a higher ceiling for the Yankees.

The Verdict

In the end, I would throw the money towards James Paxton. Like I said above, I think he has the higher ceiling, and I think it would help balance the rotation out with Gerrit Cole and Luis Severino, both being right-handed. A 1-2-3 or Cole, Severino, and Paxton for the foreseeable future is one that gets me excited as a Yankee fan.

Now, in an ideal world, maybe they could bring both of them back, although unlikely. I know Yankee fans would love to see the four-man rotation they will see next year more over the next few years, but the Yankees will be watching their payroll closely. We all know that guys like Aaron Judge and Gleyber Torres are going to get considerable paydays to be lifelong Yankees. I don’t think in this debate there’s a wrong choice which makes the discussion fun. I’d go with James Paxton, but it’ll be interesting to see how GM Brian Cashman and the Yankees play this over the next 12 months.

What the New York Yankees starting pitching rotation could look like

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New York Yankees, Luis Severino

With the New York Yankees preparing to blow past the luxury tax threshold in a record-breaking scenario involving the best free-agent pitcher on the market, Gerrit Cole, it’s only fair to assume the starting rotation is going to be excellent.

A realistic contract for Cole would land in the seven-year, $250 million range, breaking $35 million per season and making him the most wealthy pitcher in all of baseball. However, owner Hal Steinbrenner believed his starting unit didn’t need the extra support — fast forward several weeks, and there’s a blank check sitting on Scott Boras’ desk waiting to be filled in.

The Yankees have been after Cole since 2008 when he was initially drafted in the MLB Draft, but elected to attend UCLA instead. He was then traded from the Pittsburgh Pirates to the Houston Astros in 2017, despite the Bombers’ interest.

Now, Cashman has a third shot at reeling him in, and it seems as if they are finally ready to put him in Pinstripes, which would bolster an already solid pitching rotation.

What would the New York Yankees starting unit look like?

The Yanks went a majority of 2019 without Luis Severino, their ace, and Jordan Montgomery, which forced them to depend more on Masahiro Tanaka, Domingo German, and others. The starters struggled for a majority of the season, needing ample help from the bullpen to smooth over rough outings.

Both Chad Green and Nestor Cortes Jr. were frequently featured in multi-inning roles to supplement the lack of capable starters. Factor in J.A Happ’s awful season and German being suspended just before the start of the postseason, and the perfect storm was brewing.

However, they’re in a position to piece together a stimulating rotation that’s preparing to welcome the best arm in baseball.

  1. Gerrit Cole
  2. Luis Severino
  3. James Paxton
  4. Masahiro Tanaka
  5. Domingo German
  6. Jordan Montgomery
  7. J.A. Happ
  8. Michael King/Deivi Garcia

This is an intimidating rotation for any opposing team. The first six pitchers are all capable of sub-4.00 ERA seasons and can dominate in postseason play. Steinbrenner has made reinforcing the unit a priority, despite blaming a lack of run production on the Yankees early exit from the playoffs this year. Nonetheless, with this grouping, the Yankees might only need to score 1-2 runs per game to edge out a victory.