With three weeks left on the regular season schedule, the New York Yankees have cemented their place into the playoffs by losing the third-best record (83-62) in MLB. Hence, manager Aaron Boone will be tasked to design playoff plans sooner rather than later, including finalising a 3-man rotation.
The New York Yankees starting rotation has been inconsistent, yet they have performed decently throughout the season. Clarke Schmidt and Luis Gil are healthy again. However, with room available for only 3 people, manager Aaron Boone recently shared insights on his preliminary plan on the Talkin Yanks podcast with Jomboy and crew.
Aaron Boone Considering Every Yankees Starter For Postseason Role!
As the New York Yankees gear up for a potential playoff run, manager Aaron Boone recently shed light on his strategy for the team’s pitching rotation. On a podcast with Talkin Yanks, Boone revealed that besides ace Gerrit Cole, every starting pitcher has put up a strong case for themselves. And hence, everyone on the rotation currently remains in the playoff conversation. Cole appears a confirmed fit. But the competition for the rest of the two spots will come down to as many as five pitchers, namely, Luis Gil, Carlos Rodon, Clarke Schmidt, Nestor Cortes and Marcus Stroman. While Schmidt could be ruled out, citing lack of playing time this year, the rest of the pitchers indeed have a strong chase.
Carlos Rodon, the next favourite pick, owns a 4.21 ERA across 29 starts with 181 strikeouts. Meanwhile, Nestor Cortes owns a 3.97 ERA in 28 starts with 127 strikeouts. Luis Gil, who’s playing his first full season as a starting pitcher, owns a 3.24 ERA in 25 starts with 151 strikeouts. Lastly, Marcus Stroman stands with a 4.07 ERA in 28 starts with 109 strikeouts. Overall, Aaron Boone’s strategy appears to be focused on leveraging the versatility of his pitching staff to create advantageous matchups against playoff opponents. By keeping all options open, he aims to maximize the effectiveness of the rotation while ensuring the team remains competitive in every game. As the New York Yankees approach the final stretch of the regular season, Boone’s adaptable plan could be the key to their success in October.
Nestor Cortes Upset With His Rotation Spot Being Taken Away
Recently, the New York Yankees transferred Nestor Cortes to the bullpen for a day and summoned him to piggyback Clarke Schmidt, who was returning from injury to pitch his first start in two months. While both the pitchers pitched scoreless 4 innings each, Cortes was largely unhappy with his demotion, even if it meant for just one series.
In the post-game interview, Nestor Cortes lashed out at Aaron Boone for making adjustments to his pitching role. He mentioned how he had to change his routine when the Yankees promoted him as opening day starter in the wake of Gerrit Cole’s injury. However, despite frustrating changes, Cortes affirmed he would not back down from a fight as his job as a professional is to play his best every day.
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