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Projecting the Yankees’ 2020 rotation led by new ace Gerrit Cole

By Rucker Haringey

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - OCTOBER 15: Gerrit Cole #45 of the Houston Astros celebrates retiring the side during the sixth inning against the New York Yankees in game three of the American League Championship Series at Yankee Stadium on October 15, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - OCTOBER 15: Gerrit Cole #45 of the Houston Astros celebrates retiring the side during the sixth inning against the New York Yankees in game three of the American League Championship Series at Yankee Stadium on October 15, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) /
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NEW YORK, NEW YORK – OCTOBER 17: Masahiro Tanaka #19 of the New York Yankees in action against the Houston Astros in game four of the American League Championship Series at Yankee Stadium on October 17, 2019 in New York City. Houston Astros defeated the New York Yankees 8-3. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – OCTOBER 17: Masahiro Tanaka #19 of the New York Yankees in action against the Houston Astros in game four of the American League Championship Series at Yankee Stadium on October 17, 2019 in New York City. Houston Astros defeated the New York Yankees 8-3. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images) /

4. Masahiro Tanaka

Tanaka is the unquestioned veteran of the Yankees’ starting rotation, but he’s also a prime candidate to suffer from some age-related regression in 2020. Look for him to begin the year as the team’s No. 2 starter, but it’s reasonable to expect him to slip to the No. 4 spot by the time the postseason arrives.

For the record, none of that means Tanaka is poised to have a bad season. After all, he managed to eat up 182 innings last season with a respectable ERA of 4.45. He is another starter who pitched some of his best innings in the postseason.

In a perfect world, the Yankees can lighten his workload significantly in 2020. The hope is that can be an organizational choice as opposed to something that’s thrust upon the team due to injury. Keeping Tanaka around 150 innings pitched could prime him to be a valuable weapon in the postseason.

Having a player with Tanaka’s track record and guile as a No. 4 starter is a luxury that no other team in baseball will have next season. The key for the Yankees will be to use him judiciously. He’s got a lot of miles on his right arm. Treating him with care could be the difference between a World Series title or another disappointing playoff exit.

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