CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Less anyone shed a tear for the New York Yankees, remember that they put 30 players on the injured list last year and still won 103 games.
The Yankees lost 2,129 player games in 2019, but still won the AL East by seven games and took those sign-stealing Astros to six games in the ALCS before Jose Altuve -- the guy who didn’t want his jersey ripped off -- hit a game-winning two-out homer off Aroldis Chapman in the ninth inning of Game 6.
It looks like Aaron Boone, who has led the Yankees to over 100 wins in each of his first two season as manager, is going to be tested again if the early part of spring training is any indication. The Yankees announced Tuesday that right-hander Luis Severino will be lost for the season because he needs Tommy John surgery on his right elbow.
The Yankees spent $324 million to sign free agent Gerrit Cole to be the lead dog starter in one of the best rotations in baseball. But the Yankees have already lost two starters who were primed to follow Cole to the mound -- James Paxton and Severino. Paxton, New York’s No.2 starter, underwent back surgery in early February for a herniated disc and could be out until May. Masahiro Tanaka, another veteran in the rotation, had a bone spur removed from his right elbow in October.
It seems Cole, who signed a nine-year deal with the Yankees in December, is running out of playmates.
Severino went 33-14 with a 3.18 ERA in 2017 and 2018. Last year he was limited to three starts in the regular season and two in the postseason because of a sore right rotator cuff and lat muscle.
Paxton was 15-6 with a 3.82 ERA in 29 starts last year for the Yankees.
The Yankees withstood last year’s flurry of injuries as players such as former Indians infielder Giovanny Urshela arrived from the minors and had career seasons. The Yankees will have to turn to pitchers such as J.A. Happ, Jordan Montgomery, Michael King, Jonathan Loaisiga and Deivi Garcia to fill the holes in the rotation.
Happ went 12-8 with a 4.91 ERA last year for the Yankees. Montgomery underwent Tommy John surgery last year. GM Brian Cashman is also exploring trades.
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