Michael King ready to boost a Yankees rotation in crisis
MIAMI – Being an effective multi-inning reliever these past two seasons hadn’t altered Michael King’s feelings as a frustrated starter.
“I have been a starter most of my career,’’ said King, who felt the Yankees needed a friendly reminder.
As the Yanks’ rotation began to thin due to injury and other circumstances, King sought out manager Aaron Boone last week.
“Initially, he was not on board with it,’’ King said of his suggestion to be used as a starter, beginning the gradual buildup toward a possible every-fifth-day role.
But when Nestor Cortes joined Carlos Rodon on the injured list Friday, King was put on standby as Saturday’s opener at Loan Depot Park against the Miami Marlins.
The results weren’t ideal as King yielded two runs in two innings, but the Yankees’ 3-1 loss was due to Sandy Alcantara’s complete-game dominance against a subpar lineup.
Jhony Brito's encouraging performance
After scoring nine runs on 14 hits in a Friday night victory against starter Jesus Luzardo, the Yankees (60-57) succumbed to Alcantara’s sharp sinker-change-up combo, netting five hits and striking out 10 times.
That left it up to ace Gerrit Cole against the Marlins (61-57) on Sunday, trying to win a series for a team that has gone 1-7-3 in their last 11 series as they try to stay in a wild card hunt.
In Saturday's ninth inning, Billy McKinney's bid for a game-tying two-run homer became a long out at the left field warning track, causing groans among the thousands of Yankees fans in attendance.
The afternoon attendance, 33,980 fans, represented the Marlins' largest home crowd for a regular season game - other than Opening Day - since 2014.
On the visiting side, some encouragement could be found in Jhony Brito's effort - five innings, one earned run, six strikeouts - following King and showing an effective change-up.
Through an interpreter, Brito said he's ready to contribute "if they are requiring us to step up and pitch in different roles.''
Brito and fellow rookie Randy Vasquez are back in the rotation mix, though both right-handers followed openers at Miami, with Ian Hamilton (twice) and King opening the Yanks' last three games.
That novelty ends Sunday with Cole, and Boone announced that Clarke Schmidt, the struggling Luis Severino (8.06 ERA) and Vasquez would start the next series against the Atlanta Braves.
The Michael King strategy
The club’s strategy with King is slightly up in the air.
As Boone mentioned, building King into a starter at this point in the season is probably unrealistic. Plus, they might need King in three or four days in a relief role.
“We’ll keep the (opener) option on the table,’’ Boone said of trying to at least extend King whenever possible, so he can cover more innings.
King threw 41 pitches Saturday (his limit was 45) and mostly regretted the fastball .366-hitting Luis Arraez lashed for a first inning, two-run homer.
“I’m going to do whatever they want me to do, and do it to the best of my ability,’’ said King, adding that “a lot of times I feel like I can provide some length to this team.’’
That was an issue earlier this spring, with King coming back from an elbow fracture in July 2022, limiting his workload.
Yet, King feels he can build up rapidly if needed now, with an arsenal more extensive than his earlier days as a starter in 2020 and 2021.
And now with Jonathan Loaisiga, Tommy Kahnle and Keynan Middleton added recently to strong bullpen (Ron Marinaccio and Nick Ramirez, crowded out, are in the minors), “we’re almost too thick in the bullpen and too thin in starting pitching with these injuries,’’ said King, ready to offer his services.
“I have no idea what’s going to happen in the future (as a starter),’’ King said. “But I definitely like doing it.’’
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Michael King ready to boost a Yankees rotation in crisis
