The New York Yankees found themselves with an unexpected hole in the rotation on Wednesday.
Pitcher Nestor Cortes underwent an MRI on his pitching elbow earlier in the day. Chris Kirschner from The Athletic reported that while Cortes' UCL is intact, he will not throw for seven to 10 days, necessitating a stint on the Injured List. Cortes is also set to second opinions from surgeons Dr. Neal ElAttrache and Dr. Keith Meister. Meanwhile, he will receive a PRP injection in hopes that he can return for the postseason.
Cortes' injury meant that Marcus Stroman would get another chance. Stroman had struggled in the second half, eventually being sent to the bullpen. A solid three-inning stint on Sept. 17, where he allowed one run on five hits while striking out three batters, gave hope that he had put those second half behind him.
Instead, Stroman imploded against the Orioles, allowing six runs on ten hits in his 3.1 innings. Although he did not issue a walk, Stroman struggled with his command as he threw first-pitch strikes to just eight of the 19 batters he faced.
The Yankees will have a first-round bye in the postseason, allowing time to line up the rotation. However, there are question marks beyond ace Gerrit Cole. Despite his roller-coaster season, Carlos Rodon is seemingly locked in as the second starter. Luis Gil has thrown 146 innings, 50 more than he had in any professional season. Clarke Schmidt had missed time due to a strained right lat muscle. Stroman had a chance to solidify a spot in the rotation, adding another veteran arm to the mix.
His outing on Wednesday has not made the Yankees' decision any easier. Stroman has become a bigger question mark, someone that the Yankees may not be able to trust in the postseason. His implosion could not have come at a worse time.
