New York Yankees need a strong rebound in the second half of the season. Currently, they are out of the playoff race. But things are still salvageable, especially with Aaron Judge eyeing a return. While the offense is surely the primary issue, the Bombers’ pitching rotation is not anywhere near perfection, especially the longest-tenured Yankee, Luis Severino.
After missing a month due to lat strain, Luis Severino made a strong start in his first two outings. However, the injury seemed to have adversely affected his rhythm as his pitchers went all over the place. Moreover, his recent horrendous outing against the Orioles has further put his participation for the rest of the season in question. Can the Yankees follow Blue Jays’ lead and pull off an Alex Manoah move on Severino?
Yankees Should Demote Luis Severino After All-Star Break To Help Him Reset
Luis Severino, who is in the last season of his extension contract with the Yankees, has been an absolute nightmare on the mound. Recently against the Orioles, he was shelled completely. He allowed as many as 10 hits and 7 earned runs in under 3.0 innings pitched which soared his ERA to 7.38. On top of that, nobody in the camp has answers to his struggles. With Nestor Cortes unavailable till early August, the Yankees cannot risk keeping Severino intact for too long. Now that the second half is commencing, the team has pressed a panic button and will not be taking even the smallest issues lightly.
As a result, a possible solution for Luis Severino will be to demote him to a minor league. At minors, Severino will stay away from the pressure and reset himself. It’s a bold move, but at the same time also the need of the hour. The Blue Jays should serve as an inspiration. They demoted Alex Manoah after his terrible stint this season. Further, as far as the replacements are concerned, Jhony Brito and Randy Vasquez remain ideal candidates. Barring a couple of outings, Brito had been excellent so far. Randy has also done a good job in the bullpen and has the ability to serve as a starter. Hence, all things considered, demoting Luis Severino is in the best interest of the team and the pitcher himself.
Boone-Cashman Duo Faces Heat As Yanks Embark A Crucial Second Half
Yankees managerial duo Aaron Boone and Brian Cashman are as responsible for the team’s fall as the players. Firstly, the GM ignored the injury scares and retained highly injury-prone players. On top of that, the Yanks hitting limitations were exposed completely after Aaron Judge got injured. In the aftermath of the offensive collapse, they had to fire hitting coach Dillon Lawson, which looked more like a gimmick.
Now, as the Yankees embark on the second half of the season, the Boone-Cashman duo will have a daunting task at their deck. The trade deadline will close on August 1. Cashman has the opportunity to correct his off-season mistakes by bringing fresh faces into the roster. On the other hand, Aaron Boone must partner with his old teammate and Yankee’s new hitting coach, Sean Casey, to solve the hitters’ crisis. The next 30 days will determine if the Yanks will stand a chance at making it to the playoff or not.
