What To Expect From Chris Capuano

On Tuesday, the New York Yankees finally acquired a starting pitcher. No, they didn’t sign Max Scherzer or trade for Cole Hamels. Instead they re-signed veteran Chris Capuano to a one year, $5 million deal. The lefty was acquired by the Bombers last season in a deal with the Colorado Rockies. In 12 games with New York he went 2-3 with a 4.25 ERA and 55 strikeouts.

At 36 years old Capuano is a solid back end of the rotation option and he figures to be the Yankees’ number 4 or 5 starter.

Masahiro Tanaka, Michael Pineda,C.C. Sabathia and Nathan Eovaldi will be at the front of the rotation and it seems a competition between Adam Warren and Capuano  among others for the fifth spot. Capuano can be counted on to eat innings and throw 100 effective pitches (meaning spreading them across 5 or 6 innings) and hand the ball off to the Yankees’ superb bullpen. That’s more than a lot of starters can offer up these days. As far as preventing runs he was a lot better at doing that once he put on pinstripes last year.

Capuano’s 4.25 ERA and 3.85 FIP were improvements compared to his time in Boston. One could make an argument that both his ERA and FIP should improve due to the Yankees stellar defense both in the infield and the outfield. General Manager Brian Cashman is aware of this I’m sure. Eying players like Capuano is one of Cashman’s specialties. Remember, he was able to piece together last year’s decimated rotation with guys like Brandon McCarthy, Capuano, and by some stroke of luck, Esmil Rodgers at one point.

Capuano is here to serve a purpose. Whether he fits as a stop gap until Ivan Nova returns or as the teams’ number four or five starter for the entire season remains to be seen. But this is a deal you have to love. Low risk with a possibility of a high reward. $5 million is nothing considering the high price of pitching these days (Brett Anderson just received a $1o million contract… Brett Anderson! Holy Cow!).

The Yankees acquired a serviceable pitcher and with the American League East being weak pitching wise that’s not something to shake a stick at. For right fans should give Capuano the benefit of the doubt and wait to see how the season unfolds. It’ll be interesting to see how it works out.