New York Yankees Rumors: Starting Rotation Set, Andrew Miller The Closer Again?
New York Yankees rumors suggest the starting rotation is set for the 2016 MLB season. These Yankees rumors also address the closer situation, with Andrew Miller ready to take on the ninth inning duties once again. A report from Yahoo! Sports on April 1 reveals that CC Sabathia has been named the No. 5 starter. The announcement comes directly from Yankees manager Joe Girardi, who is giving the left-handed veteran another shot at holding down an important spot on the 25-man roster.
This follows other New York Yankees rumors about the closer role, which has been hotly debated since the end of the 2015 MLB season. The team brought back Andrew Miller and Dellin Betances, but also took the opportunity to acquire All-Star Aroldis Chapman from the Cincinnati Reds. Chapman is slotted to be the full-time closer, but first he has to return from a suspension that Major League Baseball handed down. That opened the door for Miller to take on the role to begin the season, but an injury put that in question.
Despite having a broken bone in his wrist, Andrew Miller has now been given the green light to open the 2016 MLB season as the closer for the New York Yankees. A report from ESPN states that the injury will not affect his ability to pitch, but could cause some concerns when he tries to field the ball. Miller spoke at length about what the doctors told him.
“The doctor was great this morning. He said everything we hoped to hear — that it’s a break, but it’s a bone that’s not important. It’ll take a little time to heal and fill up with scar tissue. Don’t think we’re at risk [of] making it worse. It might be a little bit of a nuisance for a little while, but all things considered, not too bad.”
As for the New York Yankees’ starting rotation, the other four pitchers are going to be Masahiro Tanaka, Michael Pineda, Nathan Eovaldi, and Luis Severino. There are certainly a lot of question marks that come along with the Yankees rotation, but everyone is going to arrive on Opening Day healthy. That is a huge difference over what the team has gone through in the past, even if there are still concerns about how Tanaka, Pineda, and Sabathia can hold up for the duration of the season. Should he be needed, Ivan Nova could be an emergency starter.
The Yankees’ starting rotation has not looked good during Spring Training, with Nathan Eovaldi leading the way so far. Eovaldi made four starts, posting a 3.07 ERA and 1.50 WHIP over 14 2/3 innings. Michael Pineda pitched 11 innings over three starts, posting a 5.73 ERA and 1.18 WHIP. Luis Severino had a 6.75 ERA and 1.50 WHIP over three starts and 9 1/3 innings of work, while Masahiro Tanaka had a 7.36 ERA and 1.64 WHIP over four starts and 11 innings. As for CC Sabathia, he pitched 16 1/3 innings in five starts, posting a 5.51 ERA and 1.65 WHIP. Those aren’t great numbers, but the excuse can be made that it’s only Spring Training.
During the 2015 MLB season, CC Sabathia made 29 starts for the Yankees. He had a 6-10 record with a 4.73 ERA and 1.422 WHIP. Those aren’t exactly the numbers that Yankees fans wanted from a pitcher earning $23 million, and now Sabathia will earn $25 million for the 2016 MLB season. The team and its fans are expecting much more from him, but he could have a very short leash this year. Opening Day for the New York Yankees is on Monday, April 4, when the team hosts the Houston Astros. Game time is 1:05 p.m. ET and Masahiro Tanaka will be on the mound for the Yankees.
[Photo By: Rob Foldy/Getty Images]
