The New York Yankees pitching depth has ceased to exist. In a matter of seven days, the team lost two of its key starters, Carlos Rodon and Nestor Cortes. While Rodon strained his hamstring, Cortes’ shoulder injury relapsed. Hence, to fill in the void, the club recalled right-handed relievers Jhony Brito and Randy Vasquez from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
On Friday, the New York Yankees faced Miami Marlins in the three-game series opener. Since the Yanks were low on strong arms, they adopted a mixed approach and fielded the bullpen. Ian Hamilton opened the game for the Bombers, and Randy Vasquez relieved him. The latter apparently left an impact as the team members lauded the youngster’s efforts.
Yankee Clubhouse Impressed With Randy Vasquez’s Flashes Of Brilliance On The Mound Vs. Marlins
In an unusual setup, the New York Yankees fielded its bullpen for the series opener vs. Miami Marlins. The Breakout reliever, Ian Hamilton, opened the game and pitched two innings wherein he leaked two runs. Hence, manager Aaron Boone brought in young minor league sensation Randy Vasquez to relieve him. He pitched 3.2 innings, giving up three hits and two runs. While these are no mind-boggling numbers, the youngster’s efforts on the mound move the team. Aaron Judge, the captain, particularly has set high expectations from the pitcher. He believes Randy is efficient and has got a great feel for all his pitches. The 24-year-old is an absolute bulldog on the mound, as he is afraid of absolutely no one.
Aaron Judge added that Randy knows how to attack the batters when the time is right. He can absorb the pressure of a lead and deliver up to his potential. The Yankees cap certainly believes that Randy Vasquez has loads of potential and is only going to get better from here on. Further, the skipper Aaron Boone also seemed impressed, especially with his variations. The manager believes that the wide range of variations makes Vasquez unpredictable on the mound, which is his biggest strength. Meanwhile, as far as the pitcher is concerned, he was confident and satisfied with his performance. Randy added that anytime he is given an opportunity to perform, he will do his best and find ways to help the team win. That is the ultimate goal.
Yankees’ Rotational Depth Sinks Further
Meanwhile, the New York Yankees are losing their pitching depth at an alarming rate. Last week, they lost starter Carlos Rodon to a hamstring injury. The left-hander sits on 15-day IL with no set timeline. Meanwhile, in yet another major blow, starter Nestor Cortes has landed on IL for the second time this season. The pitcher had just returned last Friday from IL and again went down with the same injury.
Moreover, Cortes has been advised to stop throwing activities for at least four weeks. Meaning the starter’s return this season is unlikely. The last time Cortes went down with a shoulder injury, it took him two months to recover. Nothing suggests that this incident is going to be anything different. All things considered, the Yankees’ ship is sinking, and it’s just a matter of time before they fall out of the playoff race.