A month ago, we were mostly worried about just how long James Paxton would be on the shelf after back surgery in the offseason. Injury woes for the lefty are nothing new, and we were fairly confident that 20-25 starts of his regular 30% K-rate would suit the team just fine, especially with the addition of Gerrit Cole at the top of the rotation.
Now, the fog around what the 2020 season will actually look like has raised additional questions about Paxton’s post-2020 career, and Masahiro Tanaka’s too. We’re looking at a significant reduction in the season, perhaps a complete cancellation, and the two Yankee starters represent the biggest possible losses to the club in next year’s free agency.