2018 was a rough year for the Yankees’ starting pitchers. They lost Jordan Montgomery to Tommy John surgery, Masahiro Tanaka missed a month with double hamstring strains, and Luis Severino fell off a cliff in the second half. Monty’s replacements (Domingo German, Jonathan Loaisiga) didn’t fare well, and Sonny Gray set the team up for a loss nearly every time he took the mound.
By the time the trade deadline rolled around, the Yankees were desperate for help. Enter: J.A. Happ. Far from being any team’s ace, the veteran lefty somehow ended up being the best option available in July.