BALTIMORE — With the Yankees’ bullpen sustaining a few injuries, the team could eventually turn to a former starter for assistance.
Deivi Garcia, once a consensus top-100 starting pitching prospect, has been throwing out of the bullpen at Triple-A. The 23-year-old has made three multi-inning appearances this season, all two or three frames, while allowing two earned runs with six strikeouts and three walks over 7.2 innings.
The Yankees’ hope is that the right-hander can find more consistency in relief. If Garcia were to return to the majors, he would likely do so via the pen.
“He’s a young man, so he’s still developing. What we’ve seen of Deivi a little bit over the last few years is that influx of stuff,” Aaron Boone said Sunday. “The stuff we saw in spring training is really good. Maybe that’s something that we can get in smaller bursts.”
Garcia pitched well in relief during the spring, when he recorded a 1.93 ERA and 10 strikeouts over 9.1 innings. While he walked five — command has always been an issue for the youngster — the showing was an encouraging one for Garcia after two difficult years in the minors.
Garcia made his big league debut with the Yankees as a 21-year-old during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season. He recorded a 4.98 ERA over six starts — he also made a postseason appearance – but he hasn’t had much success since.
Garcia mostly pitched at Triple-A in 2021, where he registered a 6.85 ERA over 90.2 innings. He rejoined the Yankees for two games that year, but he allowed six earned runs over 8.1 innings. Last season was even tougher for the pitcher, as the Yankees shut him down for two months due to a finger injury and a much-needed reset. Garcia threw six games at Double-A and 14 at Triple-A and ended the year with a 6.89 ERA and zero major league appearances.
Only 13 of his 20 outings were starts in 2022.
Boone added that Matt Krook is also being primed for a multi-inning relief role at Triple-A. Mostly a starter throughout his minor league career, the southpaw has made three appearances for the RailRiders. Krook has surrendered one earned run over six innings while striking out eight and walking three.
With Jonathan Loaisiga, Tommy Kahnle and Lou Trivino all on the IL, Garcia and Krook are among the Yankees’ depth options in the bullpen. So is Greg Weissert, whom Boone said will “factor in big time” this year.
SEVERINO’S PEN PUSHED BACK
Boone said Luis Severino’s bullpen, initially planned for Sunday in Baltimore, has been moved to Monday in Cleveland. Boone attributed that to Severino having a “big” workload Saturday and Sunday’s day/getaway game compacting schedules.
Severino, who is working his way back from a lat injury, had a catch before Sunday’s game.
MOVING THE MARTIAN AROUND
Jasson Dominguez, the Yankees’ top ranked prospect still in the minor leagues, made his first professional start in left field on Saturday at Double-A. He dropped his first chance there, according to My Central Jersey’s Mike Ashmore.
Dominguez had exclusively played center field up to that point.
On Sunday, Boone said that Dominguez will continue to move around the outfield this year.
“I don’t know what the exact plan is,” the skipper said. “I just know it’s in the mix to have him playing and introducing him to the corners. So that’s in play.”
YANKEES AT THE YARD
Yankees fans have a history of traveling well to Camden Yards, but it’s easy to find other pinstriped connections at the Orioles’ beautiful ballpark.
As a first time beat reporter, this writer found a few while exploring the stadium Sunday. The team’s Hall of Fame wall includes a few former Yankees, including Paul Blair, Hank Bauer and Mike Mussina, as well as retired YES Network broadcaster Ken Singleton. And Paul O’Neill, Jason Giambi, Robinson Cano and Nick Swisher are among those with markers signifying home runs that reached Eutaw Street.
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