TAMPA, Fla. — The New York Yankees have a pitching problem that most teams would love to have. They may have too many arms and not enough spots.
Ryan Weathers was acquired from the Marlins this winter to fill the No. 5 starter role until Carlos Rodon returns from the injured list. That plan made sense in January. It is starting to look shaky in March, and the reason stands 6-foot-7 with a fastball that touches 102 mph.
Carlos Lagrange threw four no-hit innings against the Blue Jays on Wednesday at Steinbrenner Field, striking out three and consistently hitting triple digits in an 8-1 Yankees win. The 22-year-old right-hander has been dominant all spring and is forcing the organization to rethink its early-season rotation plans.
Boone keeps rotation door open for Lagrange
Aaron Boone made it clear after Wednesday’s game that the Yankees want Carlos Lagrange to remain a starting pitcher for as long as his development allows. But the manager also did not shut the door on bringing the young right-hander to the Bronx sooner than expected.
“I think you want to find out and dream on his biggest upside, impactful starting pitcher,” Boone said. “There’s no denying he could be good out of the pen, but we’re certainly not gonna rush him to fill a need.”
Boone then added a qualifier that should get Yankees fans paying attention.
“As he logs some innings and it becomes a real need at some point, I think anything is possible,” Boone said.
The Yankees want to build Lagrange’s workload after he threw 120 innings last season split between High-A Hudson Valley and Double-A Somerset. But if he pitches well enough in the minors and the need exists at the major league level, Boone was clear that a promotion is on the table.
“It depends how it’s going for him, how many innings he’s logged and how he looks as a starter,” Boone said. “If the need comes up and the role exists, I don’t think that’s the worst thing.”
Boone praised Lagrange’s ability to throw strikes, which separates him from most power arms at his stage of development.
“What’s impressed me about Carlos is his strike-throwing,” Boone said. “The biggest question mark is, ‘Can he be efficient enough of a strike-thrower to be at the top of a rotation?’ Everything suggests you want to find that out.”
Weathers struggles in second spring outing
While Lagrange was mowing down Blue Jays hitters, Weathers has had a rockier camp. The left-hander looked sharp in his first spring start, throwing 3 2/3 scoreless innings with five strikeouts against the Nationals. But his second outing went sideways. He gave up six runs, five earned, in just two innings against the Mets.
Through two Grapefruit League starts, Weathers carries a 7.94 ERA across 5 2/3 innings. He has allowed eight hits and five earned runs while striking out eight and walking two.
A major league scout who has followed the Yankees and was granted anonymity said he still believes in Weathers’ talent.
“When the Yankees traded for Weathers in the winter, my first thought, ‘This was a damn good pickup,'” the scout said. “I followed Weathers when he was in the Marlins’ system and he’s always had great stuff. I’ve always been a big fan.”
The scout added that the key for Weathers is command. “If he can command his pitches, he’s got the stuff to be an elite starter or reliever for the Yankees,” the scout said.
Weathers pitched only 38 1/3 innings last season due to separate stints on the injured list with forearm and lat muscle strains. He posted a 3.99 ERA with 37 strikeouts, and his fastball averaged 96.8 mph. Health remains the biggest variable in his profile.
How the Yankees rotation could shake out
The current plan has the Yankees opening the season with Max Fried, Luis Gil, Cam Schlittler, Will Warren and Weathers in the rotation. Rodon is expected back in late April or May. Gerrit Cole could follow in May as he continues his comeback from Tommy John surgery.
Once Rodon returns, Weathers is projected to shift to a multi-role bullpen option. But if Lagrange keeps pitching the way he has, the Yankees may not wait that long to make a change. Moving Weathers to the pen early and inserting Lagrange into the fifth starter spot would give the club a power arm in the rotation and a versatile lefty in relief.
That scenario remains speculative. Lagrange has not pitched above Double-A. The Yankees would need to see him dominate early at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre before making that call. But Wednesday’s four no-hit innings against a Toronto lineup that included several big league regulars made the conversation a lot more real.
“This is all we’ve seen,” Boone said of Lagrange’s dominance. “Really, really excellent.”
The Yankees do not need to decide today. But if Weathers continues to struggle and Lagrange continues to shove, the decision may make itself.
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