Yankees' Aaron Boone on impending starting rotation crunch: 'That’s a lifetime away'

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Yankees' Aaron Boone on impending starting rotation crunch: 'That’s a lifetime away'

Yankees' Aaron Boone on impending starting rotation crunch: 'That’s a lifetime away'

Ryan Weathers was effective in his win against the Orioles on Saturday, but Yankees manager Aaron Boone didn't divulge his plans for the impending rotation crunch when Carlos Rodon and Gerrit Cole return.

Yankees' Aaron Boone on impending starting rotation crunch: 'That’s a lifetime away'

Ryan Weathers was effective in his win against the Orioles on Saturday, but Yankees manager Aaron Boone didn't divulge his plans for the impending rotation crunch when Carlos Rodon and Gerrit Cole return.

The Yankees' starting rotation is the envy of Major League Baseball, boasting the best ERA in the majors at 2.67. But with Carlos Rodón and Gerrit Cole eyeing returns within the next month, manager Aaron Boone is facing a luxury problem—and he’s not ready to solve it just yet.

“That’s a lifetime away,” Boone said when asked about the impending roster crunch. For now, he’s focused on the here and now, and right-hander Ryan Weathers is making that decision even tougher.

Taking the mound Saturday against the Baltimore Orioles, Weathers delivered another strong outing in his bid to stay in the rotation. The lefty pitched five-plus innings, allowing just one earned run on three hits and two walks while striking out five in the Yankees’ 9-4 win. It was his second victory of the season, lowering his ERA to a sparkling 3.03.

“I thought Weathers was good,” Boone said after the game. “Scattered a little bit, but other than those two walks, I thought he did a really good job. He had a lot of different ways to get you out—sweeper, changeup, fastball were all playing well. Maybe ran out of a little steam there, but to get into the sixth inning with another strong performance, really nice by him.”

Weathers has now pitched at least five innings in five consecutive starts and has allowed three runs or fewer in six of his seven outings this season. In four of those starts, he’s surrendered one earned run or fewer. That consistency has been a key part of New York’s dominant rotation, which features Max Fried and Cam Schlittler as the current anchors.

But with Rodón and Cole on the horizon, the math gets complicated. Elmer Rodríguez was recently called up to take the spot of Luis Gil, who was optioned earlier this week. Rodón could potentially slide into Rodríguez’s spot when he’s ready. But when Cole returns, the battle for the final rotation spot will likely come down to Weathers and Will Warren.

For now, Boone is content to let his pitchers keep making their cases—and Weathers is making a strong one. Whether that’s enough to keep a spot when the big guns return remains to be seen, but for a team with World Series aspirations, having too many good arms is a problem most clubs would love to have.

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