One thing that was clear in Tuesday's Subway Series split was that the Yankees' starting rotation can use some reinforcement, WFAN's Boomer Esiason and Gregg Giannotti said Wednesday morning.
The Yankees won the first game of the doubleheader against the Mets 12-5 despite Masahiro Tanaka giving up five runs (four earned) over 6 2/3 innings. Then James Paxton got roughed up in the nightcap, allowing six runs in just 2 2/3 innings in the 10-4 loss.
"I don't know what they're going to do with their starting pitching because it does not look good," Esiason said on the "Boomer and Gio" show. "And this is not Seattle. For James Paxton, you are right now square in the middle of what Yankee fandom is all about. You are now going to be questioned about whether or not you have the goods to be the guy to take this team into the playoffs and then lead it to the World Series. Because ultimately, that's all it is for the Yankees. It's World Series or bust this year, especially with the way that the replacement players, the backup players, have played to this point and with (Giancarlo) Stanton and (Aaron) Judge literally on the horizon. They are almost here."
Giannotti said he finds it interesting that "we're sitting here now in early to mid June talking about the same stuff that (general manager) Brian Cashman was talking about last November and October when the season ended, which is that he felt he needed to get two elite starting pitchers in the offseason."
Cashman re-signed J.A. Happ and then traded for Paxton. Happ's ERA is 4.48, although he has been solid in his past two outings. Paxton has been dominant at times, but after Tuesday's disastrous start, his ERA is up to 4.04.
Joe Camporeale/USA TODAY Images "And I think that (Giants pitcher Madison) Bumgarner's going to be the guy we're going to be talking about constantly," Giannotti said. "And what's tough about him is regardless of his performance this year, his demands are still going to be high because it's not like he's 37 years old. This is a guy who's going to want another contract. He's got that no-trade-clause thing going around, so he can pick and choose where he wants to go when he waives that no-trade clause, and he might demand a situation where, 'All right, I'll waive my no-trade clause for you if you give me a contract extension.'"
To listen to the open from Wednesday's show, click on the audio player above.