The New York Yankees, despite being the bottom placeholder of the AL-East, have a lot at stake and a lot to play for. For starters, the pride of the storied franchise is under threat. Hence, securing that would be the team’s first priority. Secondly, the playoff race is very much alive as the team stands 7.5 games below the wildcard spot.
Having said that, the Yankees playoff odds took a hit following an unexpected series loss to lowly Washington Nationals. The hosts lost two crucial yet close games as the Nationals came out with utmost resilience. With over 30 games left on the schedule, the Yanks will feature in a crucial series over the weekend. Ahead of the matchup, the pitching plan of the club has been leaked by a renowned MLB insider.
Gerrit Cole To Lead The Yankees Pitching Lineup Vs. Rays
The upcoming three-game series with the Tampa Bay Rays will be highly crucial for the New York Yankees. The mighty East rivals are placed second in the division with 78-52, whereas the Bombers are seated last with 62-66. Meanwhile, ahead of the series, MLB insider Bryan Hoch revealed the team’s pitching lineup for the series. As per Hoch, Gerrit Cole will lead the proceedings on Friday in the series opener, followed by Clarke Schmidt on Saturday and Carlos Rodon on Sunday in the finale. This trio will have a major role to play in the series. So far, Cole has done his part perfectly as he led the Yanks to a comfortable 6-2 win on Friday.
Now, the onus shifts to Clarke Schmidt and Carlos Rodon. After an early blowout, Schmidt has gained performance in the past month. In 25 starts, he has recorded 4.68 ERA with 121 strikeouts. Schmidt also has a lot to fight on a personal level. With the rotation collapsing due to injuries and inconsistency, Schmidt has an opportunity to secure a place in the rotation for the 2024 season. He has been effective so far. The only problem is consistency. On the other hand, Carlos Rodon returned from IL last week and pitched an above-par outing. He finally seems to have gotten the desired rhythm. Having said that, consistency has always been a problem associated with him. Overall, the outcome of this series will either make or break the Yankees’ playoff push.
Yanks Must Emphasise Player Development To Avoid Repeat Of 2023
The 2023 MLB season should serve as a learning for the New York Yankees. They must take steps to avoid the reoccurrence of such an event. The first and obvious one would be to develop the farm system. The club’s farm system currently ranks 21st in MLB, with three prospects, Spencer Jones, Jasson Dominguez, and Everson Pereira, making it into the list of top 100 prospects.
So far, Everson Pereira has been the one to make it to the big leagues. The next in line is Jasson Dominguez, who is ruling the minor league. The outfield prospect recently got promoted to Triple-A, which put him in contention for the next season. There exists a lot of talented prospects in the Yankees farm system. If developed well, the rookies can go on to become the future of the club.