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MIAMI – Based on the results, one would think it would be easy for the Yankees to continue to lead Nestor Cortes every five days, at least until Luis Severino returns.
The southpaw with all of those choppy deliveries has a 1.93 ERA in 11 outings since his May 30 call from Triple-A, and it’s 1.38 in his three starts with two runs allowed in 13 innings. In his last outing, Cortes limited the Rays to one in five points in a no-decision start that helped the Yankees win in 10 innings.
The man with the mustache looks pretty good.
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Unless Cortes does a pinch again like he did on Friday night in the Yankees’ 3-1 win over the Marlins, his next adventure will be back in an intermediate relief role. It was sparked when the Yankees beat the 4pm trade deadline by a few minutes by acquiring Los Angeles Angels left-hander Andrew Heaney for a pair of AA-class right-hangers Janson Junk and Elvis Peguero.
Heaney has recorded impressive numbers this season, making 18 starts for the Angels, especially his 113 strikeouts and 31 walks in 94 innings. Allowing only 92 hits is also solid.
His most stand-out statistic is the one pitchers have been judged the most on for years and years, his 5.27 ERA.
Not good.
So what do you think the Yankees will do next week when they have to choose between keeping Cortes in their rotation or going to their newcomer?
“He’s going to enter our rotation,” general manager Brian Cashman said of Heaney.
This decision cannot be based on Heaney’s Yankee Stadium debut a month ago. On June 29, Heaney started for the Angels and served homers to Gary Sanchez, Aaron Judge and Miguel Andujar, allowing seven runs over three very shaky innings in an 11-5 game against the Yankees.
His first two starts in July didn’t go well either: 9 1/3 innings and 7 points combined.
His last two impressions likely influenced the Yankees, as he beat the Minnesota Twins with a two-run, seven-innings start on June 22, then put in a decent three-run, six-innings effort on a start. at home against the Rockies on July 28.
“The old saying goes, you never have enough pitchers, and we have a guy like Andrew Heaney who is an established starter and someone who is having a good season this year,” said Boone. “His ERA is a little high, but if you look at the numbers it’s less hits than innings pitched, lots of innings and a really good strikeout to walk ratio. So he’s a guy who can really pitch.
Heaney is also an experienced insurance in case Severino has another setback before making his planned return from Tommy John’s surgery in late August or early September, if Kluber doesn’t come back from a shoulder issue that put him in. away since May and / or if someone else is going. down.
The Yankees’ rotation depth is not what they hoped for this season because their two top-ranked pitching prospects haven’t contributed. Clarke Schmidt injured his arm during spring training and began a rehab mission last week, while Deivi Garcia is having a poor AAA season and did not fare well in two starts early in the season. season with the Yankees.
“We’re very happy to add a launcher of his caliber that certainly offers some depth, as we look forward to continuing to pick up Sevy and potentially Corey Kluber at some point,” said Boone. “I think this time of year you make sure you have depth. Obviously, with only one business deadline now, you need to make sure you’re covered.
This means Heaney will likely make at least two or three starts before potentially being moved to a paddock role when Severino and / or Kluber return.
“We have Luis Severino coming, we have Kluber coming,” Cashman said. These are great positive opportunities, but there are no guarantees over the next few weeks or two months… so we’re just adding (Heaney) to that list of choices.
“Each round is important to us the rest of the way. We felt the cost of the acquisition was tolerable and it was in our best interests to do so.
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