The New York Yankees starting rotation is likely to undergo a major overhaul next season. This year, the five-man squad was never really complete as injuries took over. Still, ace Gerrit Cole managed to keep the boat afloat. But it was never enough. Nevertheless, something will happen next year for sure.
While free agency will be the front office’s first choice for the hunt, a key reliever is building himself to contest for the rotation spot for 2024. Michael King, the right-handed reliever, was recently promoted to the starter’s role and is currently accepting the new responsibility. His bid was further solidified with his latest grand outing against the Blue Jays on Wednesday.
Michael King Impresses With Record 13 Strikeout Outing!
As injuries and inconsistencies took over, the New York Yankees promoted reliever Michael King to the starting rotation. He stretched himself for a week before taking the plunge. Surprisingly, King outweighed all expectations as he looked completely natural on the mound. In six starts so far, the pitcher posted a 1.76 ERA with 45 strikeouts and four walks in over 30 innings. If this weren’t enough to solidify his rotation bid, the latest record outing against the Toronto Blue Jays would surely be. King stepped up on the mound on Wednesday to take on the East rivals and wreaked havoc. He lasted for seven innings to record a season-high 13 strikeouts. It’s the most by a Yankee this year.
“I think he’s making a pretty good claim for (a rotation spot next season),” said skipper Aaron Boone. The manager feels Michael King is showing that he is capable of handling any given role. Now, the team wants him to unlock 150 or 180 innings as a starter milestone to become a full-fledged starter for 2024. On the other hand, King says he is trying to last as long as possible on the mound. He wants quick outs and not soft contracts. “It’s been a learning curve for me, but I’m continuing to learn and try to do it,” added King. It would be interesting to see if the reliever actually succeeds in getting the prized rotation spot. The competition is tough, with a lot of contenders, including Clarke Schmidt and Domingo German, gunning for the spot.
Yankees Bows Down To Blue Jays Despite Michael King’s Heroics
Meanwhile, Michael King’s salient efforts on the mound got wasted as the relievers failed to back him up. King secured seven innings by leaking a mere one run while recording as many as 13 strikeouts. However, Tommy Kahnle and Ian Hamilton ended up allowing five runs in less than two innings.
On the other hand, Yankees hitters could not step up. Jays starter Kevin Gausman pitched six scoreless innings while recording 10 strikeouts. With that, the Bombers have fallen nine games behind the playoff wildcard spot. They have only around 10 games left on the schedule and are now surely mathematically out of the postseason race.
