The August clock is ticking as the New York Yankees battle out an intense remaining schedule. The team is rolling into September with a job not yet done, and a division to win. New York may need a contingency plan to address injuries. How will the Yankees manage pitching in the event of any injury toward or throughout the postseason?
The Yankees have had some longer-term absences from the pitching staff this year. In fact, they missed their ace and defending Cy Young winner Gerrit Cole until late June. Jonathan Loaisiga has been scratched for some time, and it seems Clarke Schmidt has had some time off and is expected to make his first rehab start this week at some point.
Yankees starter Luis Gil was recently placed on the 15-day injured list due to a lower back strain. He is expected to be back soon. The task for manager Aaron Boone going forward will be to manage pitching to ensure workloads are met and reliable arms are slotted in where appropriate.
Yankees Will Have to Manage Pitching Effectively Down the Stretch
The Luis Gil exit was a scare. The right-hander left his start against the Cleveland Guardians in the fourth inning due to back issues. This left Yankees Nation with questions. How serious was the injury? We now know that his return will be sooner rather than later.
At the time, Clarke Schmidt was not in sight of an MLB return, let alone hopping back into a starter role. Thankfully, Gil will return soon and retake his spot. Schmidt will soon start with a 50-pitch rehab assignment to work his way back.
Upon assessment, his promotion will most likely be into the bullpen for short relief. This timeframe will allow him to work his way back to a more wholesome workload. This will provide the Yankees with pitching depth should another starting pitcher injury occur.
New York Can Platoon Two Options in the Rotation If Need Be
Right-hander Will Warren has proven himself enough in the minors to be trusted in start situations in the show. The Yankees recalled Warren on August 21st in response to the Gil injury. He has three major league appearances with lengths ranging between 4 and 5 1/3 innings.
Will Warren, Nasty 95mph Sinker. ? pic.twitter.com/Bd9VtaJbTX
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) August 15, 2024
Warren’s service could range between mid-relief, long relief, and a starting role. An ideal candidate for him to platoon with is Nestor Cortes. Cortes has worked between the rotation and the bullpen, showing comfort in both areas.
On the back end of relief, Clay Holmes continues to be the man and the stopper according to Boone. This remains the case despite his struggles this season, which include an MLB-leading 10 blown saves. A set-up man for Holmes is their deadline acquisition, Mark Leiter Jr., who has the ability to provide relief for no more than two innings.
The ability to manage pitching in the next few weeks and the postseason will dictate the longevity of the Yankees season.
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