Yankees: 8 players unable to live up to the hype

NEW YORK, NY – AUGUST 1: Pitching coach Larry Rothschild, catcher Austin Romine #28 and Greg Bird #33 talk with pitcher Sonny Gray #55 of the New York Yankees on the mound in an MLB baseball game against the Baltimore Orioles on August 1, 2018 at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx borough of New York City. Orioles won 7-5. (Photo by Paul Bereswill/Getty Images)

P Sonny Gray (2017-2018)

Odds are, Sonny Gray is at the top of the list when it comes to recent Yankees who were unable to live up to the hype.

Gray was traded to New York at the deadline for a trio of some of the organization’s top prospects at the time in James Kaprielian Jorge Mateo, and Dustin Fowler. Gray was looked at to be the final piece of the Yanks rotation.

Gray was decent during the second half of 2017, posting a 3.72 ERA in 11 starts. He didn’t flare as a front end starter but looked like someone who could contribute in pinstripes. At worst he would eat innings and manage to keep the Yankees in the game, especially with the run support the lineup provides on a nightly basis. Even that was too much to ask for.

All hope for Gray came crashing down in 2018. He put up a number of crooked numbers and every start had Yankees fans just hoping he wouldn’t implode before the 3rd inning.

Gray’s career always takes me back to a June start against Boston in 2018. I decided to head out to a local restaurant to catch the game. Super excited to see the Yanks take on the division rival.

Well, the game was over before it could begin. Gray gave up a first-inning grand slam to Rafael Devers. That game defines his time in New York. The bright lights shined too bright and when the Yankees needed him most, he vanished.

Unfortunately, Gray’s comments after he was traded to Cincinnati made him even less popular among the demanding Yankees fanbase. He criticized the organization’s pitching philosophy and former pitching coach Larry Rothschild. Passing the blame to others for poor performance typically doesn’t fly in the Bronx.

However, I urge fans to listen to Gray on the R2C2 podcast. C.C. Sabathia and Ryan Ruocco chatted with Gray this offseason and he seems like a down to earth guy. Plus, Sabathia raves about Gray, showing that he was a great teammate and person. He wanted nothing more than to succeed on the game’s biggest stage.

Gray was able to bounce back with an All-Star season in Cincy, proving that the Bronx just wasn’t a fit for the Tennessee native.

P Sonny Gray (2017-2018)

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