Yankees sent down their ‘top rookie’ after giving him an award
By Scott Rogust
New York Yankees pitcher Deivi Garcia failed to make the major league roster, but he did leave spring training with an award.
The New York Yankees devoted their offseason to adding arms to their starting rotation following the numerous injuries they dealt with last year. Given there are only five spots to go around, one pitcher was going to end up losing out. This spring, it was rookie Deivi Garcia.
This past Friday, the Yankees informed Garcia that he was being sent down to the minors to begin the 2021 season. On Monday, the Yankees named the young right-hander with the James P. Dawson award for most outstanding rookie in spring training.
Talk about a rollercoaster of emotions.
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Yankees name Deivi Garcia top rookie of spring training after demoting him to the minor leagues
With Gerrit Cole, Corey Kluber, Jameson Taillon and Jordan Montgomery all locked in for the top four spots in the rotation, Garcia had to battle Domingo German for the backend role.
Despite a down outing in his first spring training game, Garcia was relatively solid. In his last outing against the Toronto Blue Jays on March 24, however, Garcia was shelled for four earned runs on seven hits (two home runs) in three innings. Overall, the 21-year-old tallied a 3.86 ERA, a 1.43 WHIP and 14 strikeouts in 14 innings of work.
German, on the other hand, recorded a 1.38 ERA, 0.77 WHIP and 17 strikeouts in 13 innings of work (four starts). Hence why manager Aaron Boone gave the gig to German to start the 2021 season.
Even though Garcia looks to be the designated sixth starter in case of injury to one of the other starters on the Yankees, Luis Severino is expected to return this summer once he completes rehabilitation from Tommy John surgery. Even so, given the Yankees’ bad luck with injuries, fans can expect to see Garcia at some point this season. Until then, Garcia will refine his game at the team’s alternate training site in Scranton, Pa.
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