The only locks for the Yankees’ 2017 rotation right now are Masahiro Tanaka, Michael Pineda and CC Sabathia, but Joel Sherman of the New York Post writes that GM Brian Cashman won’t take a reactionary approach to plugging holes in his rotation. As Sherman points out, though, the quartet of Luis Severino, Chad Green, Luis Cessa and Bryan Mitchell has yet to prove that there’s a definitive starter among them, and any could end up in the ’pen. The Yankees will add at least one arm this winter, he continues, though given the paucity of quality starters on the free agent market, a trade from the team’s suddenly top-ranked farm system might be the most rational expectation. Sherman lists speculative candidates ranging from Ervin Santana to Chris Sale, though the top-tier names like Sale are included more as a means of demonstrating the depth of New York’s farm than as a genuine indication of likelihood. Sherman rightly points out that with free agency looking so sparse, the asking prices in trades will be staggering — especially for the likes of Sale, Jose Quintana, Chris Archer and other top-tier arms.
More from the division…
- The injury from which Andrew Benintendi recently returned was a bit more significant than originally reported, according to Evan Drellich of the Boston Herald, who reports that in addition to a sprain in his left knee, Benintendi also suffered an avulsion fracture just below the knee. The Red Sox have fitted Benintendi with a custom brace that he’ll wear on his left leg for the remainder of the season, but the 22-year-old tells Drellich that he’s already accustomed to the brace and no longer notices that he’s wearing it.
- Red Sox lefty Drew Pomeranz could be feeling the effects of a career-high workload of innings, writes Brian MacPherson of the Providence Journal. Manager John Farrell explained to MacPherson that while Pomeranz’s velocity remains strong, his pitch-to-pitch command hasn’t been present of late, which has cost him. Pomeranz, acquired in exchange for top pitching prospect Anderson Espinoza in July, has lasted a combined 5 2/3 innings across his past two starts. He’s currently slated to make his next start (Friday against the Rays), but MacPherson notes that his fading results could land him in the bullpen once the postseason rolls around. Pomeranz is up to 164 1/3 innings this season, and his previous career-high (147 1/3 innings) came all the way back in 2013.
- MLB.com’s Bill Chastain writes in his latest Rays Inbox column that he wouldn’t be surprised if Tim Beckham’s time with the Rays organization is coming to a close. Adding Matt Duffy to play shortstop and moving Brad Miller to first base to pair with Evan Longoria and Logan Forsythe at third and second has solidified the starting infield mix. And, he notes, the heightened play of Nick Franklin in 2016 gives him a leg up on the utility job. The Rays demoted Beckham on Aug. 31 right before rosters expanded due to some perceived carelessness on the basepaths, and they doubled down on that harsh message by electing not to bring him back up later in September. The former No. 1 overall pick, set to turn 27 in January, hit .247/.300/.434 with five homers in 215 PAs for the Rays this season.
CC shouldn’t be a lock… he should have to earn it like the rest of the named group. There’s no reason his contract should even matter, so if he loses the battle in spring training, throw him in the bullpen and if he doesn’t like it/can’t produce there, then cut him. You have to pay him for 2017 regardless so just pull an A-Rod on him if you have to
25 million is an astronomical amount of money for a bullpen piece or for someone you get nothing out of. At least CC has shown signs he is worth some of that money, and on top of that this article directly states it will be hard to fill in on the rotation with a bad fa class and the high cost of trades.
Have to pay him the same $25million if he is starting, coming out of the bullpen, or sitting at home.
Absolutely.
Teams are starting to figure it out – guaranteed money is guaranteed money. It’s dead whether they like it or not.
So where he pitches (rotation or bullpen) is independent to what $ he is owed.
There was a time where it was a face-saving thing, but fortunately, GM’s/Managers are growing up a little.
And 27 million is a quite a bit for an “advisor”…
But I agree that CC will almost assuredly stay in rotation as long as he can walk the distance from the dugout to the mound without getting hurt.
But at least with the ARod deal, they’re starting to show that they’ll move on from a sunk cost if it makes the team better. Maybe it’ll keep CC honest in the offseason.
Plus I’ve always liked watching CC pitch, from back when the Brewers tried to see if his arm would fall off down the stretch and yet he kept asking for the ball. Beast. Sad that as all pitchers do, he’s tumbled so far (no pun intended).
It is but you gotta do what’s best for the team. The Giants a few years ago had not 1 but 2 $20 million relievers for part of the season (Zito and Lincecum ).
Porcello, Price, and ERod will make a good 3-deep rotation for a short series. Maybe add Wright to the mix if he can show a return to form in the next 3 weeks. Pomeranz and Buchholz will make serviceable bullpen arms if any of the starters falter.
Price in the playoffs lol
Better than pomeranz
I cant stop thinking about how the history of MLB would be different if only the Rays drafted Buster Posey instead of Tim Beckham. Posey was supposed to be #1 and fell to #5 for no reason at all.
Posey signed for a tad less than beckham that year as it was (6.2 compared to 6.1m). imagine had Tampa taken Posey #1? A team that generally drafts people who will sign for as cheap as possible throughout their history, other than in a limited number of cases?
Posey may have been a 7m+ sign for them.
Pedro Alvarez was supposed to go #1 and quite a few people had Kyle Skipworth as the best catching prospect in the draft and Jason Castro as a very close third behind Posey. The reason he went 5th is because there wasn’t necessarily a certainty he’d stay behind the plate as he was a converted shortstop and the likes of Hosmer, Alvarez, and Matusz were also very highly rated prospects along with Beckham. The draft is a total gamble, there is no saying that Posey would be the same player he is now if he went to Tampa.
That quartet of Severino, Mitchell, Cessa and Green will rival the best young pitchers in the majors. Don’t be surprised if they combine to make 100+ starts next season with ERAs in the 2-3’s.
Please. How are the 4 of them going to make 100+ starts unless the other 3 get injured? And an ERA of 2-3 for guys who are at 4+ to 6 this season is quite the little improvement don’t you think?
Don’t be surprised if the 4 of them make 50 combined starts with ERAs in the 4+ range. And be careful how much koolaid you drink.
Really? That would mean all 4 of them have to be in the starting rotation for at least 2/3 of the season and be one of the top pitchers in the league.
I think 60 starts and an ERA around 4 is way more realistic, unless Severino becomes the next Michael Fulmer and the other starters all get injured Angels-style.
And Gary Sanchez is going to hit a homer in every at bat next year without making an out
This is taking optimism to new levels.
Why are you all feeding the troll?
I just hope that the Yankees don’t spend $15M+ per year for an older or mid rotation starter. Or trade to minor league talent for the same. I hope they stay the course for now and if they do spend big money on free agents wait another year or two for the top talent to be available.
They made it further than anyone expected this year with a patchwork staff and they have some intriguing SP prospects in the pipeline even if they aren’t #1 or #2 starters. Let’s have another year of patience and smart decisions and not go back to knee jerk reactions.
They didn’t make it anywhere this year. 4th place and not in the post-season means they made it as far as the Rays. Nowhere.
This has been a lousy year for the Yankees. Similar to the Sox last year. They sure made it back and so will the Yankees. It’s rare that either of these teams is not competitive.
The Yankees victory tonight surpasses the Red Sox win total from last season with still 12 games to go. 2016 Yankees >>>>>>>>>> 2015 Red Sox.
While the year overall hasn’t been the best, look at the division they play in. By far and away the best in baseball with only one sub .500 team
Well when you consider that the yankees haven’t actually made the play offs in 4 years it’s not to good.
I heard the Tigers will make Pelfrey available this winter
I don’t think the Yankees can and will do much this winter. The only long-term deal the should consider should be a closer. I like Jansen the most of the bunch, but a Chapman reunion gives them both a lefty and righty closing candidate (with Betances). Signing any of Trumbo, Bautista or Saunders to a long term deal would be a mistake.
If CC can’t help the Yankees win in 2017, they simply need to cut him loose and move on. Learn a lesson from the 2016 season. If they had cut ARod loose earlier in the year, they might be well on their way to a division championship right now. Sure it will hurt their chances to stay under the luxury tax cap, but their chances of making it to the post season would dramatically improve.
I don’t think the Yankees should cut CC because he can still provide useful starts. He is better than most team’s number 5 starters, which is the role he should be fulfilling next year.
I see the Yanks trying to trade McCann, Gardner, and some of their prospects in the off season beef up their starting rotation. The free agent market is weak. The should be able to come up with a package for some more pitching. Mateo seems to be the first prospect to go.
The yankees shouldn’t bother signing or trading for any starting pitchers unless they find an exceptional bargain or can get a number one starter.
They should sign Chapman as a free agent and use this season to audition pitchers in their system.
Tanaka, CC and Pineda are an easy top 3 starters
Mitchell, Severino, Green, Cessa, Montgomery, Enns and Adams should compete in spring training for the 4 and 5 spots.
The 5 who don’t win go to AAA and get try outs if and when injury or poor play dictate a change is in order.
Next year should be a year spent developing the next core instead of hoping for last gasps from vets.
I agree, unless they can trade some young prospects for a solid number 2 starter or a top prospect like Newcomb from the Braves. The Yanks seem to have some great prospect position players. I would like to see them trade both McCann and Gardner for some young pitching and package Mateo and Judge for another top line starter.
How about McCann and a prospect for Julio Teheran?
Braves Fan: sure McCann, Sanchez and 1994 Jeter
Dude seriously?