The New York Yankees have a good problem in Spring Training, as they have two really solid starters competing for one spot: Deivi Garcia and Domingo German.
While stats in Spring Training don’t matter, their stuff looks great. It’s going to be a fierce battle heading into the regular season, but who should be the 5th starter? It’s not as easy of a question to answer as I first thought, and it’s a great problem.
Garcia and German Are Dealing
Garcia and German are getting strikeouts and are getting them at a pretty high clip. Garcia boasts a 35.7% K% and German has a 41.9% K%, so these two are able to strike out batters more and more. Swings and misses will be key for these two, as they’ve got devastating stuff. For German, his curveball’s filth has been paired with an equally disgusting changeup and my lord it’s filthy. It’s generating softer contact and more whiffs, as in 2019 he had a .341 xwOBA against, so he’s truly taken a leap as a starter.
Good luck hitting German's changeup 🤢 pic.twitter.com/J1VSriccSs
— Dillard Barnhart (@BarnHasSpoken) March 15, 2021
He’s going to be a real weapon with those pitches, but what about Garcia? Well, let’s point out the increase in velocity at around ~93 MPH on his fastball and able to dial it up to 95. His curveball is really looking nice, and he’s got a good changeup to work with it. Garcia is also only 21, so he’s got so much room to grow. His stuff is relatively nasty, and it’s fair to say that as he’s going to continue to grow.
So when it comes to stuff, I think we’re giving the edge here to German.
Questionable Track Records
These two have questionable track records but for different reasons:
German’s off-the-field domestic violence case is well-documented, and it’s why he didn’t pitch for over a year. He’s not at all a good person, and that’s clear and evident. Garcia’s track record is simply that he is only 21 and has little experience in the majors. These two are inherently question marks, so I think you can say both have abnormal situations that aren’t injury-related. I’m going to call this a wash, and I think it makes it clear who I think the 5th starter should be.
German is the Clear-Cut 5th Starter
While I have suggested the idea of a six-man rotation, if the Yankees roll a 5-man rotation, German is the 5th starter. He looks amazing on the mound, and I’d make the argument he’s better than Jordan Montgomery, but Gumby’s been impressive.
The emergence of German’s off-speed stuff compliments his ability to break off nasty curves, and it’s going to rack up strikeouts. He’s locating his pitches better and if he can stay healthy I genuinely believe he’s a real X-Factor in this rotation. His last season he had an 87 ERA- and a 92 pCRA-, so he’s already been proven. German’s got a new changeup, a full season to work, and a spot in the rotation he’s gunning for.
Now it’s his turn to run with it, because Garcia will be waiting in the wings for him to falter.
