Yankees Mailbag: rotation guesses and peak performances

Photo by Alex Trautwig/MLB Photos via Getty ImagesGood morning everyone, the mailbag rolls along as spring training begins to open up. Remember to send in your questions for our weekly call by e-mail to pinstripealleyblog [at] gmail [dot] com.

jjpf asks:How many pitchers will start a game for the Yankees in the 2021 season?

For some context, the Yankees used nine starting pitchers last season in just 60 games, while in 2019 (also an injury-filled season) and 2018 (a relatively healthy season) they used 12 starters both times. 2019 also was the first year where they began using openers — most notably Chad Green — and I expect that strategy to remain viable because of the emphasis on easing…