James Paxton's inconsistency continues to be a problem for the Yankees, WFAN's Gregg Giannotti said Monday.
After stringing together three solid outings, Paxton was roughed up Sunday against the Colorado Rockies, allowing seven runs (four earned) over 3 1/3 innings in an 8-4 loss.
"I was really interested to see him yesterday because, yeah, it was brutal conditions, all of that, but he had three good starts in a row and I said, 'Is he going to get on a run here where he turns into this top-of-the-rotation type of guy that the Yankees can count on, where you don't feel as bad about them not maybe getting a Madison Bumgarner or whomever else at the trade deadline?'" Giannotti said on the "Boomer and Gio" show. "And no, same stuff. Boom! Home run in the first inning. He's had a ton of struggles in the first inning, and he unravels in the second and third and gets blasted by a Rockies team that was due for a breakout offensively."
Jerry Recco, filling in for Boomer Esiason, said despite Paxton's ups and downs, it's hard to see the Yankees upgrading their rotation much before the July 31 trade deadline.
"You see the flashes, you see the signs, and you see a start like yesterday and you're certainly concerned," he said of Paxton. "But I will say, when you look at the trade market and the players that are going to be or the pitchers that will be or won't be available, this is it, guys. If you really think going out and getting Marcus Stroman is going to be markedly better than what you have right now, in my opinion, you're sorely mistaken.
"Forget about Madison Bumgarner. I mean, enough. As the Giants keep winning -- the Giants now a .500 team -- they're only a couple of games out of a playoff spot ... . This is a guy that I think wants to make another run at it (with the Giants).
"So you're looking at like these secondary guys," Recco continued. "I'm not one to make a moves for moves' sake. And to me, you did this already by going out and getting Paxton, going out and getting J.A. Happ. You've got what you've got. You've got a couple of guys coming back. Go win. It's that simple to me."
