Bottom of Yankees' Starting Rotation Paving Way to New York's Hot Start
During spring training, question marks were prevalent in any conversation regarding the Yankees' starting rotation.
Will Luis Severino return to form in his first full season back from Tommy John surgery? Can Gerrit Cole be the ace New York needs after an uncharacteristic finish to last year's campaign? Did general manager Brian Cashman make a mistake not adding to the Yankees' starting staff this offseason?
While Cole and Severino have both shown flashes atop the rotation thus far, it's been the three-headed monster of Nestor Cortes, Jameson Taillon and Jordan Montgomery leading the way through the first month of the regular season.
Five trips through the starting staff, Cortes has been New York's best starter (and one of the best in all of baseball). The funky left-hander has a 1.82 ERA over 24.2 innings pitched, recording 31 strikeouts to go along with his 0.7 fWAR.
Taillon and Montgomery have the second- and third-best numbers within this five-man staff, respectively. Both veterans have posted a sub-three ERA—Taillon hasn't allowed more than two runs in any start while Montgomery has settled into a groove since his injury scare against the Red Sox in his first outing of the year.
At a certain point, the "it's too early to jump to any conclusions" argument won't be applicable to this rotation anymore. Cortes is proving last year's breakout performance wasn't a fluke, Taillon is showing he can be reliable after years of injuries and Montgomery is looking like the top-of-the-line southpaw this organization has been hoping for since his elbow surgery in 2018.
Even with Cole and Severino still searching for their dominant stuff—Cole has been brilliant his last two starts—New York has the fourth-best rotation ERA in baseball (2.85). Only the Dodgers (1.90), Diamondbacks (2.54) and Mets (2.77) have been better starting games this season, entering play on Thursday.
Mix a strong bottom of the rotation with New York's spectacular bullpen and an offense that's hitting its stride in recent weeks and it's no surprise the Yankees have MLB's best record through 25 games (18-7).
In other words, when you wonder why right-hander Michael King has been relegated to the bullpen despite his historic start to the season—or why young arms like Clarke Schmidt are in Triple-A—it's because this staff currently has no holes. That may change as this season progresses, but for now, this team is enjoying the ride.
MORE:
- Why Yankees' Joey Gallo Is On Verge Of Breakout
- Jameson Taillon Quietly Shoving in Season’s Early Going
- Marwin Gonzalez Serves as Unlikely Hero in Yankees' Latest Win
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