With the season ending injury to Michael Pineda, the New York Yankees are suspected to be in need of another starting pitcher going into the second half of the season. But maybe they won’t need to make a trade, especially with another one of their prospects waiting in the wings in Chance Adams.
Losing Pineda hurts, as he was having a good season before the injury. They just got CC Sabathia back from the disabled list, but if the Yankees are going to try and make it to the playoffs, they need help. Having Sabathia, Jordan Montgomery, Luis Severino and Masahiro Tanaka is a decent enough rotation. Having a healthy and efficient Pineda would have helped, but now he’s gone.
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The Yankees do have Luis Cessa and Bryan Mitchell, but neither are exactly difference makers when it comes to being a starter. This is where Chance Adams comes into the mix.
Heading into the second half of the season, Adams is 6-3 with a 2.50 ERA in 11 starts while at Class-AAA Scranton. Before he got to Scranton, Adams was 4-0 with a 1.03 ERA in six starts with Class-AA Trenton. Combined, that’s a 10-3 record with a 1.93 ERA in 17 starts this season.
Those are numbers that warrant a promotion to the big leagues. Brian Cashman has said that he will consider promoting Chase Adams in the wake of Pineda’s injury and while he hasn’t been immediately recalled yet, you have to think that it should be coming relatively soon.
The Yankees need extra arms if they want to keep pace with the Boston Red Sox in the division and want to keep pace in the American League playoff picture. They’ve been able to get by as is over the last month, but if they are serious about doing anything in October, they need help.
Trading for a starter is going to cost as it is. Trading for a decent starter who can make an impact will cost even more. Before he went to the Chicago Cubs, the price tag for Jose Quintana would have been Clint Frazier and Gleyber Torres; the Yankees two top prospects in the system.
If the Yankees want someone like Sonny Gray, Cole Hamels or even Yu Darvish, the price tag is going to be steep and will likely include those two, plus more. Sure, it might help the Yankees in the short-term. But it would also un-do everything Brian Cashman has done in reloading the farm system in the last 18 months.
This is why Chance Adams should be headed towards the Bronx soon. The Yankees should see what they have with their 22-year-old starter at the big league level. He’s succeeded everywhere he’s gone in the minors. Now it’s time to see what they have with another one of their farm products.
Before the Yankees and Brian Cashman explore the market, stick to what has been the plan over the last year and bring up another prospect who could potentially help the team right now. Chance Adams can be the pitcher the Yankees need without having to make a trade.