Yankees Starting Rotation Depth Chart: Complete June Pitching Breakdown

At some point during the course of a season, every major league roster will experience some kind of attrition. The starting pitching corps is frequently the squad that is most susceptible to attack. Although Griffey Cole, Carlos Rodón, and Clarke Schmidt were all out at the beginning of the season for the Yankees, Cole and Rodón have since returned to the squad. However, Max Fried has been sidelined with an injury. In the case that the team requires a substitute, whether it be to make a spot start or to fill in for a starter who is injured, let’s take a look at the reinforcements that are available down at the Triple-A level. Not to be overlooked is the fact that Luis Gil has been on the minor league injured list since May 8th due to shoulder irritation; therefore, he is not being considered. The same is true for Carlos Lagrange, who has moved to the bullpen at Triple-A with the hopes of making a contribution in a relief position at some point throughout the course of this season.

Elmer Rodríguez

This season, Rodríguez has been the epitome of a spot starter, starting four games throughout three different stints with the Yankees. He has represented the platonic ideal of a spot starter. During the most recent appearance, which took place on Sunday, the Reds utilized Rodríguez for three runs in four innings. This was done in order to provide the regular rotation of the squad with an additional day of rest.

In each of his starts, the rookie has been reliable, if unspectacular, pitching between four and four and a half innings while allowing between one and three runs to score against him. That comes out to a 4.76 earned run average (ERA), despite the fact that his anticipated mark of 5.77 indicates that he may have been fortunate enough to have some success along the road. Not only has Rodríguez not done anything to convince the Yankees to give him a larger role, but he has also not done anything to deter them from turning to him when they are in a bind. Additionally, the best pitching prospect on the team, who will presumably continue to refine his skill set in the years to come, will benefit tremendously from this sporadic experience in the major leagues. For the time being, Quadruple-A is a satisfactory location to take up residence in.

Brendan Beck

On the seventh of May, Beck was called up to make an emergency bulk outing, and he pitched three innings while allowing two runs to score. Since that day, Beck has produced some of the finest baseball of his professional career, going 5-0 with a 1.63 earned run average in his past eight starts with Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. It is unclear whether this is related to the excitement of making his debut in the Major League Baseball or simply a coincidence. And despite the fact that he has had some difficulties maintaining control at times, his stuff has been effective, as evidenced by the fact that the 27-year-old has struck out 49 batters in 44 innings.

It was necessary for the Yankees to include the 27-year-old player on their roster of 40 players because he was called up in May. This characteristic, in conjunction with his recent achievements, ought to keep him in the running for a return engagement in the event that a spot start is required. The fact that he has been consistently throwing more than 80 pitches (he reached a high of 93 in an appearance earlier this month) indicates that he should be able to provide a competitive start just in case.

Paul Blackburn & Ryan Yarbrough

A bullpen game will be implemented in the event that a pinch start is required, as is customary. Yarbrough and Blackburn have both demonstrated satisfactory performance in lengthy relief roles and possess substantial starting experience, rendering them viable candidates for pitching multiple innings as either openers or bulk arms. This is one of the primary reasons for the necessity of carrying lengthy relievers.

In the event that the Yankees require a temporary rotational remedy, Brendan Beck and Elmer Rodríguez are viable depth options. Neither of these two pitchers has demonstrated the ability to make a significant impact at the major league level. However, for a team that has been spoiled by Ryan Weathers’ consistent role as their fifth starter this season, these two should be able to provide support until Fried returns. This is assuming that no additional injuries occur, necessitating the team to seek a starter with a higher ceiling from outside the organization.