The Yankees season is going to come down to one Wild Card game. Aaron Boone faces a tough decision on who should be his starting pitcher against Oakland.
Aaron Boone has a very important decision to make before the playoffs arrive. He needs to select the right starting pitcher to help the Yankees defeat Oakland and advance to the Division Series against the Red Sox. If he gets the choice wrong, the team’s playoff run will be over before it really gets a chance to begin.
The Yankees have three legitimate options to choose from. Luis Severino began the year as the team’s unquestioned ace, but he’s faltered down the stretch. Masahiro Tanaka has been pretty good all season long, but his propensity to give up home runs makes him a risky choice. J.A. Happ has pitched really well down the stretch, but he’s only been a Yankee for a few months. Boone could choose any of the three and make a reasonable argument to defend his choice.
In this piece, we’re going to make the case for each guy to start against the Athletics. We’ll finish by giving you our choice, but not before you get the chance to buy into theories supporting each pitcher.
The case for Luis Severino
If you want to start the pitcher with the most upside, it’s clear Severino has to get the nod. He’s certainly struggled some down the stretch, but the way he pitched in the first half shows the sort of dominance he’s capable of.
If you squint hard enough, he’s shown real signs of improvement over last seven starts. His ERA in that time frame is a very respectable 3.89. In particular, his last three starts have been encouraging. Severino has only given up four earned runs over his last 17.2 innings pitched. That includes a terrific outing against the Red Sox where he only gave up one run in seven innings.
There’s absolutely risk in starting Severino, but he’s the one guy on the Yankees staff who can completely shut down the Oakland attack. Fortune favors the bold in October. Giving Severino the ball against the Athletics could pay off huge for Boone and the organization.