It’s déjà vu all over again. The New York Yankees are falling victim to spring injuries and the Bleacher Creatures Podcast reacts.
The New York Yankees were ravaged by injuries in 2019 and 2020 is starting off the exact same way. Luis Severino is undergoing Tommy John surgery on Thursday, James Paxton is out until at least May, and a grade one calf strain will put Giancarlo Stanton on the shelf.
With the injuries to the starting rotation, the burden falls on J.A. Happ and Jordan Montgomery to hold down the fort. There’s also an opportunity for young guys like Deivi Garcia, Michael King, and Clarke Schmidt to step up and win the fifth-starter job.
Masahiro Tanaka is dealing with a semi-promotion to No. 2 in the starting staff. Although he can be erratic at times in the regular season, he’s a reliable option who every Yankee fan trusts. And of course, Gerrit Cole is going to be the workhorse the Yankees have needed for years.
Speaking of Cole, the Bleachers Creatures Yankees Podcast can’t understand how his spring debut was not broadcast live on television. James Kelly had to resort to listening to the game on Pittsburgh radio. That’s dedication.
As far as Stanton goes, the Yankees have a ton of options in the outfield. Brett Gardner, Mike Tauchman, Aaron Judge, and Clint Frazier are four guys with legitimate major-league experience. Not to mention, the Yankees are experimenting with Miguel Andujar in left field as another avenue to making sure his bat is in the lineup.
The lineup is deep enough to sustain injuries. The rotation is a much different story.
