Therefore, the Yankees have three pitchers with strong recent stories, to go with Gerrit Cole, their $ 324 million lead actor. It is an optimistic outlook for this time of year, when the best scenario is still at stake.
“Gerrit is one of, if not the, best pitchers in the league, and Jameson has had bouts when he’s healthy from being with those first-rate pitchers too,” said Kluber. “Severino, if he is able to come back healthy, obviously he has great material and has proved that he can shoot at an extremely high level as well. I know they have some younger guys on the rotation who had a chance to release last year and feel really good.
“It’s like any rotation, any year – you can feel as good as you want in January, February and March, but it’s all about the process of going through spring training, getting ready for the season and then getting to work when you does.”
Thus, while Cole and Jordan Montgomery’s return offer predictability, Kluber, Taillon, Severino, Deivi Garcia and the rest present a wide range of possible outcomes. Yankees can have the best rotation, an interrupted rotation or something in between. Likewise, the offense depends a lot on Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton, the lazy giants who struggle to stay on the field.
Against this background – imposing and imperfect, in equal parts – LeMahieu is an invigorating exception: a professional at his peak, a trusted elite and fiercely motivated.
“We need to overcome this obstacle and we are ready,” he said. “I’ve been saying this for two years, but it’s time. That’s just another reason why I wanted to be back. We have some unfinished business. “