New York Yankees 2020 Projections: Chad Green

Chad Green has been the Swiss Army Knife of the New York Yankees pitching staff because he does it all.

Chad Green has arguably been the most critical pitcher for the New York Yankees over the last few seasons. He has done it all for the club, whether it was as a starter during an “opener” or coming out of the bullpen when they starter just doesn’t have it on that day and eating up some innings.

Green solidified himself as a reliable piece to the pitching staff in 2017 when he relieved Luis Severino in the WildCard game against the Twins. Ever since then, Green has always been there for the Yankees when they need him the most.

2019 was a tough season for Green as it was a roller coaster ride for him and the Yankees. He made 54 appearances, 15 of those games he started as an “opener.” He finished the season with a 4-4 record and 4.17 ERA over 69 innings.

Being a reliever, those aren’t terrible numbers, but there is more behind those stats because Green pitched pretty poorly that the Yankees sent him down to AAA Scranton-Wilkes-Barre. The club sent him down because his ERA was over 16 in about seven innings of work. He worked on some mechanics while in the minors and returned a new player. During his 44 appearances after being called up from AAA, his stat line look like this: in 61 innings, he posted an ERA just over 2 and 1/2, 91 strikeouts, and 15 of those appearances were starts. So, whatever he did in AAA, worked and the Yankees needed it because their pitching staff was weak heading into the postseason.

Green will most likely be heading back into the bullpen because the Yankees’ pitching staff talented. That talent includes Gerrit Cole, Masahiro Tanaka, James Paxton, J.A. Happ, and that fifth starter is up in the air, but the Yankees have some arms capable of starting. But, if they decide to go with the opener at some point, Green will answer the call.