Last night the Yankees employed Jonathan Holder as an opener against the Orioles. The bullpen games—the Yankees have played 11 of them so far this season—have emerged out of necessity, not from an attempt to gain a tactical advantage. Injuries have robbed the team of a full rotation, with CC Sabathia’s recent trip to the 10-day IL making way for Holder’s start.
One could argue, however, that a bullpen game presents a better option over a healthy Sabathia. The left-hander has had a disastrous 2019 season to date, pitching to a 5.