Whitley is Down, What Now?

Chase Whitley has been pitching through some elbow pain for “a while” now and finally left the game against the Rays on Thursday night in the second inning of the contest. The news is bad on Whitley and he will not be relied on for quite some time in the Yankees rotation after the injury begging the question what will the Yankees do now? The good news for the Yankees is if an injury is going to occur, which you hope it never does, it couldn’t have happened at a better time during the season. The cavalry is coming and once again the Yankees may be able to survive this with the depth and insurance that Brian Cashman has stockpiled this offseason.

Chris Capuano is fully stretched out and has made a start in Triple-A Scranton with the RailRiders meaning he could be activated and take Whitley’s spot while he is placed on the 15 day DL. Masahiro Tanaka is back and has thrown multiple bullpen sessions since being shut down with his forearm strain and wrist tendinitis and may only be a week or two away at most while the Yankees still have the likes of Bryan Mitchell sitting down in the minor leagues waiting for the call. Capuano has been confirmed as the starter on Sunday already in place of Whitley giving everyone else in the rotation an extra day of rest.

It’s unfortunate that the Yankees lost another starting and one with so much promise in Whitley but as cold as it sounds the show must go on, especially in New York. With Tanaka close, Capuano ready and Mitchell waiting in the wings the Yankees may not have the starting pitching depth they had this time last week but they have enough to get them by and keep them in first place and that may have to be enough.