Three Bounce-Back Pitchers the Yankees Should Target For 2016

1. Doug Fister, 31

Aug 3, 2015; Washington, DC, USA; Washington Nationals starting pitcher Doug Fister (33) throws to the Arizona Diamondbacks during the second inning at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit:

Brad Mills

-USA TODAY Sports

Two years ago Dough Fister posted the best full season of his MLB career, going 16-6 with a 2.41 ERA as a member of the Washington Nationals. However, 2015 was a step backwards for the 31-year old, as the 6-foot-8 right hander wen’t 5-7 with a 4.19 ERA before being demoted to the Nat’s bullpen for the last 10 games of the season. According to Fister, the reason for his poor 2015 was ‘mechanical issues’, and if there’s anyone who can overturn mechanical issues and turn a forgotten arm into a primed gem it’s Yankees pitching coach Larry Rothschild.

Exhibit A, look no further than Nathan Eovali, who was 14-3 before going down with a season-ending injury in 2015. Now before Eovaldi joined the Yankees, he was a hard throwing right-hander who was 19-48 with a 4.07 ERA in four seasons with the Los Angeles Dodgers and Miami Marlins. He looked like another hard thrower with little-to-no control of his lively fastball, and he wen’t from yielding the most hits in the National League in 2014 to one of the top-pitchers in the AL East in 2015 in under just one year with Larry Rothschild.

The Yankees might see a similar effect if they roll the dice on Fister and sign him to a one-year deal.

Next: RHP Matt Latos