Yesterday, we took a look at the New York Yankees‘ starting rotation and their individual performances for the first two-plus months of 2017. In the final installment of Yankees Report Card, we will examine the work the relief corps have done.
As of today’s date (June 9, 2017), Yankees relievers have collectively pitched to a 2.93 ERA and a record of 8-6. Let’s dig in.
Aroldis Chapman – (1-0, 3.55 ERA, 1.42 WHIP) Chapman is currently on the disabled list due to shoulder soreness. His ERA and WHIP are misleading, as his final two appearances (before going on the shelf inflated the numbers. Prior to those two games, Chapman’s ERA was 0.79 and he converted all seven save opportunities, mowing down hitters as only he can. Upon being shut-down, he pointed to a 33 pitch appearance in Boston on April 26 where he earned the save, but it was rainy and cold and that is where the pain began. Thankfully, Aroldis is on track to return to the Yankee bullpen in Oakland on June 16. Let’s hope there are no residual effects.
Grade: A-
Dellin Betances – (3-1, 0.48 ERA, 1.07 WHIP) Betances allowed an earned run in his second appearance of the season (April 8) and hasn’t allowed one since, a span of over two months. I believe there is no doubt he took Yankees President Randy Levine’s harsh words to heart after the team defeated him in arbitration. The irony here is Betances stepped right in to the closer’s role after Aroldis Chapman went on the DL and converted all five save opportunities. His hits/9IP rate is at a career low 3.9. Betances still walks too many hitters (12 in 18.2 innings), but his ability to strike-out anyone usually negates the issue of occasional wildness. Someone needs to get Randy Levine measured for his astronaut costume.
Grade: A
Tyler Clippard – (0-3, 1.88 ERA, 0.92 WHIP) The “Yankee Clippard” made his return to the Bronx just before last year’s trade deadline. If you are following along on “Yankees Twitter” during the games, it seems whenever he is shown warming up or entering a game, he seems as welcome as an IRS audit. I acknowledge being part of the guilty party at times. I admit surprise at how good Clippard’s numbers are, if you look past his 0-3 record. His hits per 9 are 4.9, well below his career 6.2 His walks per nine is 3.4 (career 3.7) and his K/9 is 11.6 (career 9.9). Lastly, his FIP in ’17 is 3.36 — WAY below his numbers from 2015 and 2016. Maybe now is a great time to climb off his back and appreciate the nice numbers Clip has shown us this year.
Grade: A
Adam Warren – (1-1, 2.43 ERA, WHIP 0.81) Another Yankees reliever who is quietly having a decent season. Warren has done his job, giving the team multiple innings in games when needed. This season, Yankees starters have been giving more innings, which leads to less work in that capacity. The nice thing about Warren is he can be plugged into any part of the game and do well. Long relief? No problem. 7th or 8th inning set-up? Give me the ball. Need a save? He’s done that, too! A rough stretch of 5 appearances from May 14-May 23 (7 ER over 5.1 innings) inflated his ERA. If you throw that out, his ERA is 0.36 (one earned run over 24.1 innings). Warren doesn’t have the flashy arsenals possessed by Chapman and Betances, but he is pretty darn good!
Grade: B+
Jonathan Holder – (1-0, 3.38 ERA, 1.17 WHIP) What a great surname for a relief pitcher, eh? Maybe someday he will advance his career into securing holds, but for now manager Joe Girardi seems more comfy using him in the middle of games and less in situations with the game on the line. Of Holder’s 25 appearances in 2017, 15 of them were in games the Yankees were behind and eventually lost. His stuff is legit, a fastball he touches 95 and an excellent swing and miss curve (76-79 mph) he throws as often as his heat. His results in 2017 have been uneven, but with more time, experience and hopefully good health, one would think he will only get better. I like his chances.
Grade: C+
Chad Green – (0-0, 1.62 ERA, WHIP 0.60) Green was recalled from Triple-A Scranton Wilkes-Barre in early May and has delivered good results in long relief, lights out in a few games in mop-up duty. In some outings, he can look great and others look shaky. His results with the big club in 2016 were mixed, and his stats in Scranton this season were sketchy (2-1, 4.72 ERA, 1.61 WHIP). For those drooling over Green’s numbers in New York for the past month, take it as fair warning. His stuff is good enough to pitch in the big-leagues, but he’s just been inconsistent. At most levels.
Grade: B
Bryan Mitchell – (1-1, 5.54 ERA, 1.54 WHIP) I have no idea what is happening with this guy. Until an injury late in Spring training last year, Mitchell seemed to be in line for a spot in the Yankees’ starting rotation. He finished 2016 with a handful of decent starts and began 2017 with seven good appearances (1-0, 1.04 ERA). Two rocky outings back to back at the end of April got him a ticket to Scranton. He ping-ponged back and forth again in May, making a total of five uninspiring outings between Triple-A and the Yankees for the entire month, at one point sitting for almost two weeks between appearances. To this writer, it makes me wonder if Mitchell has fallen out of favor with Joe Girardi and Brian Cashman. What happens from here remains to be seen.
Grade: C-
Chasen Shreve – (1-0, 0.57 ERA, 0.89 WHIP) In limited work, Shreve has shown flashes of brilliance reminiscent of his first season (2015) in Pinstripes. He’s been used in low-leverage situations most of the time, unlike in 2015. If he continues pitching well, it could force Girardi to keep him over Tommy Layne, since it’s doubtful the team will carry 13 pitchers long-term.
Grade: B+
Tommy Layne (0-0, 7.50 ERA, 1.83 WHIP) Sometimes the less said the better.
Grade: D-
Some time between the All-Star break and the trade deadline, we’ll re-examine Yankees players and issue another report card.
Thanks for reading, see ya next time!
Charlie
The Titanium Spine 