Yankees: Jordan Montgomery implosion could put Michael King into rotation

The New York Yankees could not have gotten off to a better start against the lowly Baltimore Orioles, as Gary Sanchez and Clint Frazier both went yard in the first inning and Aaron Judge followed that with his MLB-leading 12th blast of the year. Unfortunately, Jordan Montgomery proceeded to bungle that lead so badly not even Michael King could save them.

Montgomery just did not have it today, as his ERA ballooned to 4.75 after allowing five earned runs in three innings. King, who the Yankees have used as a long reliever this season, ended up making his surprisingly low ERA even better in relief of Montgomery.

King gave up a run, but his ERA has now moved down to 2.16 on the season after his two innings today. The Yankees’ starting rotation is far from settled outside of Gerrit Cole and Corey Kluber, and King is making a very convincing for Aaron Boone to shake things up once again.

Montgomery has been as inconsistent as the day is long this season, while King is proving that he can pitch multiple innings and get some big outs when he is asked to do so. Should that mean that the Yankees have to put Montgomery in King’s old role and allow the 25-year-old righty to get some starts?

Should the Yankees start Michael King over Jordan Montgomery?

King was brought through the minor league system as a starter, so it wouldn’t be forcing him to drastically change his style of pitching to put him in the rotation. yes, he struggled last year, but Montgomery’s history of injuries doesn’t inspire a ton of confidence he will be able to turn it around soon.

King’s .200 BABIP speaks as a testament to his ability to generate weak contact, while the fact he is striking out right around a batter per inning proves that he is starting to use his secondary pitches in a more effective manner. The Yankees need to either fix Montgomery or make the switch to keep pace with the Red Sox.

Cole is one of the best in the game, and Kluber looks more like the guy we saw dominate the Yankees with Cleveland, but Domingo German is far from a sure thing despite a solid start in his last outing, and Jameson Taillon’s performance can generally be classed as uninspired.

This debate is very temporary in nature, as Luis Severino could bump both Montgomery and King out of the rotation by the time that he returns from his injury. However, in the short term, Montgomery hasn’t done a ton to prove he should remain a starter, and one more gem from King or dud from the lanky southpaw could force Boone to make the switch.

Yankees: 3 lefty bats NYY should trade for midseason

The New York Yankees still have a glaring need in the outfield and on the bench for lefty bats that can actually provide offense. These trade targets?