When New York Yankees starter Nathan Eovaldi went down with elbow inflammation earlier this month, rumors suggested he would begin throwing in two weeks and could be back before the end of the season. However, the discomfort in his elbow did not subside and his timetable was pushed back.
Manager Joe Girardi said he doesn't think the right-hander would be on the AL Wild Card game roster next Tuesday, but that doesn't mean he won't contribute if the Yankees reach the ALDS.
"Girardi has said that Eovaldi - who was 14-3 with a 4.20 ERA in 27 starts before being sidelined by the elbow issue - could ultimately help the Yankees during the postseason in a relief role, though there's no target date for such a return," writes Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News.
"Eovaldi has made only four relief appearances in 110 major-league games, all coming during his rookie year in 2011. Girardi said that despite his inexperience in that role, he would trust Eovaldi out of the bullpen 'if he was throwing the ball well.'"
Eovaldi is progressing in his recovery and had a catch for the third time in four days on Monday. Considering it's unknown how he'll effective he'll be in that role, it's likely Girardi could still be weighing a return to the rotation for Eovaldi, given the current state of the team's starters.
Masahiro Tanaka will return on Wednesday night after missing time with a hamstring injury, but the team will need him 100% healthy if they wish to make a run in the postseason; Michael Pineda struggled again in last night's loss to the Boston Red Sox and owns a 5.51 ERA in nine starts since the All-Star break; CC Sabathia hasn't been bad as of late, but it's unknown how long his ailing knee will hold up; Ivan Nova hurt his chances at being part of the postseason rotation after suffering a loss to Boston on Monday; and it's unclear how much longer Adam Warren will remain a starter.
The lone bright spot is Luis Severino, but relying on a rookie to register a win in his postseason debut is asking a lot, especially since he only has 10 MLB starts under his belt.
New York could host the AL Wild Card game in six days from now, but beyond that their postseason rotation is subject to rumors and speculation. Tanaka is lined up to start that game, but that's hinging on his health after tonight's start.
At this point the biggest question mark is Eovaldi. Aside from Tanaka, he was the team's most consistent starter since the beginning of July before suffering the injury, going 7-1 with a 3.50 ERA in 12 starts. It's going to be a significant loss for New York if he's unable to start in the postseason (assuming they make it to the ALDS) because the rest of the rotation isn't making a case to be a force in a five-game playoff series.
"I think it's hard for him to be a starter," Girardi said over the weekend, via Ryan Hatch of NJ.com. "We'll see where he's at after playing catch and doing some things for a week and then make a determination."
It's all fine and good if he can come out of the bullpen, but the Yankees will need their starters to pitch well if they want Eovaldi's appearances to be at all useful.
