Why Pitching Has Never Been So Important For The Yankees As It Is Right Now

The idea that the Yankees are not upgrading their pitching is not surprising to me.  That’s because every off-season Hal Steinbrenner tells the Yankee universe “we’re not done”, only to be done and hope that Gerrit Cole and a few struggling starters can get us to a championship. But what is Gerrit Cole can’t pitch?  What is Nestor Cortes struggles? What is Carlos Rodon doesn’t show his true form (or maybe this is it)?  Right now, the Yankees are in a world of hurt with their starting rotation, and I don’t care HOW HAPPY Marcus Stroman is being a New York Yankee… that guy is no leader.  In other words, the Yankees are in trouble, and “hoping” the Yankee pitching is successful in 2024 is not way to be a championship team.  The Yankees are not that. The Yankees are not champions and to be honest, it’s more of the same.  

And by the way, Aaron Boone just needs to not speak to the media.  He’s a walking soundbite of doom.  He’s an idiot.  Telling the media that Aaron Judge was “mid-spring beat up” was an awful description for pulling Judge from the lineup the other day.  Look, this is the spring, guys don’t need to play every day.  Just pull Judge and give him a day off. Don’t even address it. It’s no big deal. To amplify it and make it seem like the guy’s got wear and tear in Spring training is embarrassing. We’re babying guys. The messaging is disappointing and let’s be honest, the Yankees haven’t learned.  Everything will be the same… nothing has changed, and YOU, the fan has been duped again.  

And so, what’s my message here? We’re in a Yankee Fever Dream and we’re never getting out of it.  The pitching has NOT improved and now, we have a real situation.  If Gerrit Cole is out, delayed, hurt, that’s not good. MLB Trade Rumors writes:

“Gerrit Cole is headed for an MRI on his right elbow, manager Aaron Boone told reporters Monday morning (X link via Newsday’s David Lennon). Cole hasn’t been recovering as well between throwing sessions and will get his elbow checked out to determine if there’s an injury at play. The imaging will take place today.

Cole will receive multiple opinions on the status of his elbow, and the Yankees don’t expect to announce a prognosis today or even tomorrow…”

“On Sunday, Bauer threw three scoreless innings against Dodgers minor leaguers while pitching for the Asian Breeze, a pay-to-play barnstorming team consisting mostly of amateur players hoping to get noticed by scouts….

it does not appear any major league scouts attended Sunday’s game.”