New York Yankees Have This Tough Upcoming Decision to Make

With two key starters set to return from the injured list, the Yankees will be forced to move a surprising name to their bullpen.

Aug 20, 2024; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees starting pitcher Luis Gil (81) delivers a pitch during the first inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports / Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

The New York Yankees’ roster could see significant changes in the coming weeks. 

With September call-ups approaching, fans are eagerly awaiting news on whether the Yankees will recall top prospect Jasson Domínguez from Triple-A. The potential return of “The Martian,” along with rehabbing first baseman Anthony Rizzo, could make New York’s lineup appear much more formidable on paper. However, no position group is poised for a bigger overhaul than their pitching staff. 

Several bullpen arms could be nearing returns, including right-handers Ian Hamilton, Lou Trivino, and Scott Effross. Hamilton, 29, has been sidelined since June 18 with a lat strain but has looked sharp in two recent Double-A rehab appearances. Trivino, 32, had his rehab assignment moved to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on Thursday as he continues his recovery from Tommy John surgery. Effross, 30, who also missed the 2023 campaign due to Tommy John surgery, has allowed just one run with nine strikeouts and one walk over 10.2 innings in his last eight Triple-A appearances. Ron Marinaccio and Nick Burdi are also potential call-up options as rosters expand. 

The decisions on who to send down in favor of these veteran relievers may be easier than the choices the Yankees will soon face regarding their starting rotation. Barring any additional injuries, the Yankees will struggle to fit both ascending right-handers Clarke Schmidt and Luis Gil back into their starting five unless someone is moved to a relief role upon their return. 

Schmidt, 28, emerged as one of the Yankees’ most dependable arms, going 5-3 with a 2.52 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, and 9.9 K/9 over 11 starts before being sidelined with a lat strain at the end of May. He made his second rehab start on Wednesday night with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, allowing one run on three hits and one walk while striking out five batters over 58 pitches. Yankees manager Aaron Boone indicated that Schmidt is likely to make another rehab start before rejoining the team. 

Gil, 26, is eligible to return from the 15-day injured list on Sept. 5 after dealing with a lower back strain. The AL Rookie of the Year candidate is 12-6 with a 3.39 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, and 10.4 K/9 over 24 starts this season. 

Due to Gerrit Cole missing the first two months of the season, the Yankees have not yet had the luxury of choosing which starting pitching option is the odd man out. For a while, it seemed Nestor Cortes Jr. would be the easy choice due to his early struggles. However, the left-hander has caught fire at the right time, going 3-0 with an 0.44 ERA over 20.2 innings in his last three starts. 

If the Yankees opt to return both Schmidt and Gil to the rotation, Marcus Stroman could be the next candidate to move to the bullpen. Stroman, who signed a two-year, $37 million deal this offseason, has posted respectable numbers this season, going 9-6 with a 3.88 ERA and 1.39 WHIP over 25 starts. Although the veteran right-hander struggled during the middle of the summer, he has bounced back with a 2.25 ERA over his last three starts after posting a 6.32 ERA in his previous 10 outings. 

With two weeks left in the 2023 season, Stroman accepted a bullpen role with the Cubs to prove he was healthy enough to contribute to the team’s playoff push, even pitching on back-to-back days for the first time in his career after making a surprising return from the injured list. At that time, Stroman told reporters he was “excited” to be a weapon out of the bullpen, despite his established role as a starter. How he would respond to a similar move in 2024 remains uncertain, especially since no injury is involved this time. 

Perhaps the least surprising play for the Yankees would be to move Gil to the bullpen, due to a few reasons. He has already thrown 124.1 innings this season after being limited to four innings in 2023 and 25.2 the year before due to Tommy John surgery. Additionally, after dominating hitters in his first 14 starts, Gil struggled, posting a 5.84 ERA over his next 10 starts before landing on the injured list. The Yankees might view his recent struggles and injury as signs of fatigue and choose to be cautious with their promising fireballer. Gil’s upper-90s fastball and wipeout slider could also be highly effective out of the bullpen. 

Regardless of the Yankees’ decision, having too many capable starters is a good problem to have, especially as they head into the postseason. New York is set to host the St. Louis Cardinals for a three-game series as they look to extend their 1.5 game lead over the Baltimore Orioles in the AL East.