Yankees goals for 2020 to end with winning the World Series

Yankees pitching staff

Luis Severino only pitched in three regular-season games last season and still managed to excite us about his potential. With Cole and Paxton likely slotted in front of him in the rotation, Sevvy should feel far less pressure, which should enable him to be the best No. 3 in all of baseball.

In a walk-year, I expect Masahiro Tanaka to step up his game big time. While it would be wonderful to get “postseason Masa” for 30-plus starts, the Yanks will take a backend of the rotation starter with an ERA in the mid three’s capable of eating close to 185 innings.

Domingo German’s impending suspension muddles the final spot in the rotation, but the organization looks to have plenty of depth. While J.A. Happ and his $17 million salary are expected to be moved to lower the team’s current $240 million payroll, Jordan Montgomery, Jonathan Loaisiga, and top prospect Deivi Garcia could all contend for the last slot.

The bullpen should be the biggest winner of Yankee starter depth this upcoming season. Without the need to use Chad Green as an opener, Green can fall back into his familiar Swiss Army knife role. Particularly useful in two-inning stints, Green is the perfect reliever if a starter has a poor outing and needs to be yanked after just three or four frames.

Following a disastrous 2018, that saw him spend the majority of the season either injured or in Triple-A, Tommy Kahnle is primed to build off a stellar ’19. Aaron Boone had no problem using him in high-leverage situations, and there is no reason why that won’t happen again.

Zack Britton has an opt-out after 2020, and like Tanaka, I would expect him to be lights-out to potentially cash in as a closer somewhere other than the Bronx in 2021. As for Adam Ottavino, his first season in New York started out beautifully, but he was porous as the year wore on. With a tension-filled season under his belt, the Brooklyn native should rebound nicely.

Aroldis Chapman signed an extension with the Yanks and will resume his closer duties. Despite losing two mph on his fastball, Chapman won the AL Reliever of the Year Award thanks in large part to his devastating slider.

Although there is an opening in the ‘pen following the departure of Dellin Betances, the Yanks have plenty of internal options if they decide not to pursue Josh Hader of the Brewers. They include:

• Luis Cessa
• Jonathan Holder
• Ben Heller
• Stephen Tarpley
• Michael King