Sitting just over two weeks out from opening day, is it safe to say the Yankees’ biggest question mark is which currently dealing starter will earn the fifth rotation spot heading into opening day?
It’s an issue that Domingo German and Deivi Garcia are causing and one the Yankees welcome with open arms. Each has been dominant in their respective three starts this spring but if the current health status of the remaining rotation pieces remains intact, one of them won’t have a plane ticket to New York at the end of the month.
Setting aside the off-the-field issues, German’s age and track record (albeit limited) likely put him in the driver’s seat early on – and his performance so far is making fans feel like his 18-win season in 2019 was the norm rather than the exception.
In nine spring innings, German has yet to allow a run (let alone an earned run) and has allowed only five hits while striking out 13 to just one walk. It’s difficult to identify a bigger question mark coming into camp than German but the 28-year-old is showing no signs of the rust that he displayed in winter ball a few months back.
In the other corner, Garcia has lived up the hype created for him and by him with an impressive spring so far. In eight innings over three starts, Garcia is pitching to a 2.25 ERA with 10 strikeouts to just two walks and a WHIP of 0.88.
What’s not up for debate is the fact that both guys, barring their own health, will start games for the Yankees this season. And in a return to a full schedule from a shortened one, rotation depth will play an even more important role than it has before.
But the question over who’s in pinstripes on April 1 is looking like it will come down to the wire.
