Lance Lynn should replace Sonny Gray in the Yankees rotation

The Yankees cannot afford to persist with Sonny Gray if they want to catch the Red Sox. It’s time to put Lance Lynn into the rotation.

When the Yankees first traded for Sonny Gray last season the idea was he’d become a fixture in the rotation for years to come. After just over a calendar year in New York it’s clear he doesn’t have what it takes to succeed in the Big Apple.

Up until he last few weeks, the Yankees didn’t have a reasonable alternative to Gray. That all changed when the team acquired both J.A. Happ and Lance Lynn just ahead of the trade deadline. Happ comfortably slotted into the rotation ahead of Gray immediately upon his arrival. Lynn didn’t come with quite as much fanfare, but he’s ready to move Gray to the bullpen.

After failing to survive the third inning against an Orioles lineup littered with fringe major leaguers, Gray’s ERA has skyrocketed up to 5.08 in 101 innings pitched. Lynn’s ERA on the season is slightly higher at 5.10, but he’s been better as of late. In his last 15 starts Lynn is carrying an ERA of just 4.03. That won’t make him a savior for the Yankees, but it does mean he can be significantly better than Gray.

Today’s game against the Orioles gave fans the chance to view both players up close. Gray gave up seven earned runs in 2 and 2/3 innings pitched. Lynn put out the fire Gray started by pitching 4 1/3 innings of shutout ball in relief. He didn’t dominate the opposition, but it’s hard to argue with that sort of effectiveness.

If nothing else, Aaron Boone needs to make this change in the rotation to shake the team up. Watching the body language of Yankees in the field watching Gray struggle was painful to watch. It’s clear the team has lost confidence in the erratic right hander. That lack of spirit hurt the team in the field and at the plate.

At the very least, trotting Lynn out there in his place will give the team a reason to hope. That’s clearly lacking when Gray is on the hill. Lynn doesn’t have the same track record of failure in New York that hangs around Gray like a noose. As a new acquisition, he’ll get the benefit of the doubt from his teammates until he shows he can’t perform.

It’s even possible a trip to the bullpen could be good for Gray. Something clearly has to change if he wants to revive his career with the Yankees. It may be a desperate move, but the way he has pitched this season requires desperate measures.

The Yankees will likely give Gray at least one more start to save his season, but it’s only postponing the inevitable. Lynn, or one of the Yankees’ prized prospects needs to take his place in the rotation before it’s too late.