Do The Yankees Need To Add Two Elite Starters?

Pitching wins. Just ask an Astros fan.

You've heard the phrase "pitching wins championships" used in multiple sports, many times. Which has led to a plethora of Yankees fans to beg Brian Cashman to somehow acquire a top starter or two every season since... well... the beginning of the franchise? I don't know for sure, but it seems like as long as I've conversed with other Yankees fans I've heard the words "they need pitching" said quite a bit.

Well, how about we take a look at the fWAR (Fangraphs' version of WAR is better for pitching) of a couple of team's pitching staffs from 2018...

Team A 
Starters - 16.9
Releivers - 9.7
Total - 26.6

Team B
Starters - 15.8
Relievers - 4.9
Total - 20.6

Before I go on how about we add offense to the mix? I wouldn't want you thinking that one of those teams above is far and away better at scoring runs, and thus the question was pointless. So here is the bWAR for each team (Baseball Reference's version of WAR is better for batting)...

Team A - 29.5
Team B - 27.3

Looking at thoses numbers you'd probably say that Team A is clearly better. Well, based on which team hoisted the Commissioner's Trophy the other night, you'd be wrong. Because Team B is the Boston Red Sox. And wouldn't you know it? Team A is the New York Yankees.

It's true that championships are not won on paper. On paper, Brian Cashman could construct the greatest team of all time, but they can still fall short when it comes to actually playing the game. And that's what happened last season.

So while it's true that the Yankees don't need Bryce Harper's or Manny Machado's offensive output for 2019, there will come a time when they are happy to have it. Besides, when a talent like Harper and Machado, who are still in their mid-20s, becomes available for nothing more than money, then you go for it. Especially when you're the Yankees and you have plenty of money to spend.

Another reality is that the Yankees don't need to add two elite pitchers to the rotation. Adding Patrick Corbin, and one of CC Sabathia or J.A. Happ, makes it possible for the Yankees to take a chance on a young starter from another team via trade (like Nick Pivetta), or even from their own stock of prospects (Justus Sheffield, Chance Adams, etc.).

If you want numbers to back that up, here you go...

2018 fWAR
Luis Severino - 5.7
Patrick Corbin - 6.3
Masahiro Tanaka - 2.7
CC Sabathia - 2.5
Total - 17.2

As long as the fifth starter doesn't produce a negative fWAR for the Yankees in 2019 they don't need to make a huge trade for somebody like Jameson Taillon, Madison Bumgarner, or Zack Greinke.

Which is why trading Miguel Andujar is unnecessary. Miggy would either be used to get a top starter, who is not needed, or for Paul Goldschmidt, which would be a waste since Goldy is only signed through the next season.

There is one area that the Yankees truly need to improve upon, but I'll save that discussion for another time.

The Cole Hard Truth...

Credit:  Elsa/Getty Images

The Yankees are in first place in the American League East so it might be a bit premature to scream, “the sky is falling”, but frankly, the starting rotation scares the h**l out of me and not in a good way.

The last five starts look like this:

In terms of numbers, the results are just as ugly:

1 2/3 innings, 7 hits, 8 runs/earned runs, 1 BB, 3 K’s, 4 home runs

2 1/3 innings, 6 hits, 3 runs/earned runs, 3 BB, 2 K’s

6 innings, 8 hits, 4 runs/earned runs, 1 BB, 7 K’s, one home run

6 2/3 innings, 6 hits, 3 runs/earned runs, 1 BB, 7 K’s, one home run

6 innings, 7 hits, 5 runs/earned runs, 2 BB, 2 K’s

So, for 22 2/3 innings of work, Yankee starters have given up 23 runs.  If you want to heavily tax a bullpen, I give you the New York Yankees starting rotation.  It’s no wonder that we started to see some cracks in the armor this past week.  Michael Pineda has probably been the most consistent pitcher.  He’s the only one that threw a so-called “quality” start and that’s a scary thought.  

I saw one tweet that said the Yankees need to trade for Gerrit Cole or Chris Archer before the trading deadline.  As much as I like Chris Archer, I don’t think the Tampa Bay Rays would trade him within the division without a serious overpay.  That’s why Cole remains high on my priority list.  The Pirates are currently in last place in the NL Central and going nowhere fast.  Cole is presently 1-4 but has a better ERA than any Yankees starter (3.06).  In 50 innings, he has only given up 43 hits, 17 earned runs, 7 HR’s, and 10 walks.  He has struck out 47 batters.  Cole, 26, is currently paid $3.75 million with two years of arbitration eligibility remaining.  I don’t care that he’ll be a free agent in 2020.  This is an opportunity to kick the tires, so long as it doesn’t cost an arm and a leg (in other words, Gleyber Torres).  Outside of Torres, no one is untouchable and the Yankees should put together a package that works for both sides.  

Credit:  Ross D Franklin/Associated Press

The Boston Red Sox keep scuffling but knowing that they can throw out Chris Sale every five days keeps them a prime threat.  The Yankees need one of those kind of guys.  I know, aces are not grown on trees but GM Brian Cashman is a creative guy.  He can make some magic to bring help for the rotation.  I thought CC Sabathia was the weak link in the rotation but there are no guarantees in any spot.  Every time a pitcher posts an ugly line, the comment is always how the pitches weren’t working.  When do we hold the pitcher, and not the pitches, accountable?  The Yankees need an anchor in the rotation.  With the promise of the young offense, intermixed with the veteran influence, a decent starting rotation could carry this team to October.  Chance Adams, would you hurry up and get your butt to the Bronx?…

Credit:  Patrick Teale

Today finds the Yankees in the City of Fountains.  They begin a three game set in Kansas City before making their way to their home away home in Tampa.  The scheduled pitching matchups are:

TODAY

Yankees:  CC Sabathia (2-2, 5.77 ERA)

Royals:  Jason Hammel (1-4, 5.97 ERA)

WEDNESDAY

Yankees:  Michael Pineda (3-2, 3.27 ERA)

Royals:  Jason Vargas (5-1, 1.01 ERA)

THURSDAY

Yankees:  Jordan Montgomery (2-2, 4.19 ERA)

Royals:  Danny Duffy (2-3, 3.38 ERA)

These games are winnable regardless of the great start that Jason Vargas has gotten off to.  We just need to concentrate on one pitch at a time.  Objective:  To miss bats and or least only allow balls to be hit to positional players in proper fielding position without touching the ground.  C’mon, how hard can that be?…

Have a great Tuesday!  Let's have a royal good time!