New York Yankees Editorial: Should Bryan Mitchell Be In The Rotation?

If there’s one thing I never understand about the New York Yankees, it’s how they handle starting pitching prospects. Was Joba Chamberlain a starter or reliever. What role should Adam Warren have? He’s been there most consistent starting pitcher of late but he’s going to be on an innings limit and with the way some parts of the Yankees bullpen has more holes than the Knicks roster, he’s going to be needed there at some point.

Masahiro Tanaka hasn’t looked right in his past two starts. Michael Pineda is a roller coaster ride. CC Sabathia isn’t very good. Nathan Eovaldi is inconsistent and gives up a ton of hits. 

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Bryan Mitchell has gone back and forth from AAA to the majors a couple of times this year. With Saturday’s game tied as Tanaka couldn’t hold a six run lead, the Yankees called on Mitchell to stabalize things. He came in and struck out three in 1.1 innings and the Yankees were able to come back and win.

The Yankees apparently aren’t ready to give him back to back appearances in games.

"“I think we are a ways away from that,’’ Girardi said of using Mitchell in consecutive days. “When a guy has been a starter his whole career and works out of the bullpen you take it kind of slow just because they are not used to doing it. I think you have to be careful.’’"

The Yankees are going down a path they went down with Chamberlain, Warren and Phil Hughes before. Come up as a starter. Use in the bullpen. Then, when they excel, don’t know how to manage it.

Mitchell and Luis Severino are close to being able to start at the big league level. Mitchell is up, and Severino may be close. If Mitchell is going to start he needs to start. If he’s going to relieve leave him in that role and move on.

Mitchell be the next in line down a slippery slope of Yankees ineptitude when developing pitchers. Hopefully, for the Yankees and Mitchell they figure it out.

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