Bleeding Yankee Blue: ALEX COBB? LET'S GET BACK EOVALDI

Wednesday, March 7, 2018

ALEX COBB? LET'S GET BACK EOVALDI

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It was so nice to tune into Yankee baseball on Sunday afternoon on YES. It really was. And as I listened to Michael Kay and Paul O'Neill talk about the recovery of former Yankee now Tampa Bay Ray Nathan Eovaldi after his second Tommy John surgery, I thought to myself as he threw 99 mph, I wish we had him back.

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"Without a deal in sight with the Yankees, Eovaldi instead took a one-year, $2-million contract from the Rays, who also hold a second-year $2-million option," reported NJ.com after the Yankees cut Eovaldi before the 2017 season. Nasty Nate however has come back in 2018 throwing hard and could be a real nuisance for the Yankees who will play the Division rival Rays multiple times this season.

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"Eovaldi's average fastball velocity of 97 mph was the second highest in the majors out of pitchers who threw at least 100 innings in 2016. Only the Mets' Noah Syndergaard (97.9 mph) threw harder on average," reported NJ.com.

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As we posted yesterday in our piece ALEX COBB IS VERY POSSIBLE, the Yankees remain connected to Rays 30-year-old right hander Alex Cobb. "Since debuting in 2011, Cobb owns a 3.50 ERA, 3.68 FIP and 111 ERA+. That work has come across 700 career innings and 115 starts. The veteran missed all of 2015 recovering from Tommy John surgery," reported NJ.com. In contrast, Nathan Eovaldi, has a 4.21 ERA with 739 innings pitched and 134 starts. Both pitchers came up in 2011, but Eovaldi is two years younger.

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Do I think Cobb is a better pitcher, maybe? Does Eovaldi have a chance of redeeming himself and even outdoing his 2015 career best 14 wins and 3 losses? No, not with the Rays, but with the Yankees, yes. Either pitcher would perform well alongside an offense like the Yankees have this season. We just need to sign one more pitcher. With only three weeks until opening day and Cobb, Jake Arrieta and Lance Lynn expected to be signed before the end of spring training, it will be interesting to see who adds these pitchers to their staffs. As for Eovaldi, he could prove to be lethal to hitters if he can control his fastball and stay healthy. Welcome back, Nate, don't hurt us too much.