Michael King's 13 strikeout performance fuels more hope toward Yankees' 2024 rotation
NEW YORK – Deep into the Yankees’ disappointing September, they can at least draw some optimism about a 2024 rotation that includes Michael King.
The right-hander’s transition from reliable setup weapon to potential impact starter reached a new level Wednesday night with King’s seven-inning, 13 strikeout performance.
“It was pretty special,’’ said manager Aaron Boone, after King yielded just one run in a 6-1 victory by the Toronto Blue Jays (85-67), currently the AL’s second wild card.
The fourth-place Yankees (76-76) are close to elimination, but they’ve been geared toward 2024 for weeks – a plan that included rookie call-ups and a build-up of King’s pitch count.
King reached 101 pitches Wednesday, yielding one run on just five hits and no walks.
He exited after seven innings, trailing 1-0, but with more strikeouts than any Yankee starter since Gerrit Cole’s 14 Ks on Sept. 7, 2022, against Minnesota.
“Getting on a full five-day routine is great,’’ said King, just 14 months removed from an elbow fracture and having leaned on Cole and pitching adviser Andy Pettitte during this move from the bullpen.
Cole told King to establish his four-seam fastball early, which set up his slider, change-up and two-seamer against the likes of Bo Bichette (ground RBI single), George Springer and company.
Plus, bullpen coach Mike Harkey “told me to treat it like it’s seven one-inning bullpen outings,’’ said King.
And when his fastball dropped from its upper 90-mph levels, “I fell back on my movement and my location,’’ said King. “Felt I did a good job of paying attention to what I had.’’
Vlad Guerrero Jr. was scratched (right knee) before the game, and the Yankees were without lefty Wandy Peralta (triceps soreness), which became an issue in the eighth.
That’s when Tommy Kahnle walked four batters and unleashed two wild pitches, leading to two runs.
A glimpse at the Yankees' 2024 rotation?
Before the game, Boone sounded committed to having King as part of a 2024 rotation.
“You never know how the offseason unfolds,’’ said Boone. “But I’m looking at him as a starter.’’
And as long as the Yanks are looking ahead, what about a front three next year of Cole, Japan League star Yoshinobu Yamamoto and King, along with Carlos Rodon and Nestor Cortes?
Entering 2023, the Yankees saw their rotation as a strength with Cole – currently the leading AL Cy Young Award candidate – fronting a staff that just added free agent lefty Rodon, coming off two All-Star seasons.
Luis Severino seemed healthy entering his free agent walk season. Cortes was a 2023 All-Star and Frankie Montas was due back after 2022 shoulder issues.
Beyond Cole’s dominance and the ascension of Clarke Schmidt, “it didn’t work out like we expected this year,’’ said Boone of the staff's assortment of injuries and ineffectiveness.
Some hope arrived with rookie starters Randy Vasquez and Jhony Brito, who could also be part of the 2024 bullpen.
And beyond that duo, “in Double-A and Triple-A…there should be some excitement about the potential of those guys,’’ Boone said of the prospect pool.
Yankees' top pitching prospects aren't too far from majors
Yankees' farmhand Drew Thorpe is among the finalists for Minor League Pitching Prospect of the Year.
In 23 combined starts at Class A Hudson Valley and Class AA Somerset, the right-handed Thorpe, 22, went 14-2 with a 2.52 ERA.
The Yankees’ No. 5 prospect according to MLB Pipeline, Thorpe could be knocking the Yankees’ door at some point in 2024, with Chase Hampton (No. 4), Will Warren (No. 10), Richard Fitts (No. 12), Brock Selvidge (No. 13) and Clayton Beeter (No. 16) not far behind.
Any of those pitchers could also be used in trades to upgrade a big-league product in need of an overhaul – especially an infusion of offense.
“Overmatched the last couple of nights,’’ Boone said of being held to two runs and 11 hits by Blue Jays starters Yusei Kikuchi and Kevin Gausman (six scoreless innings Wednesday) and Toronto’s bullpen.
That relief corps now includes ex-Yankee Chad Green, who struck out the side in Wednesday’s seventh inning.
The one offensive bright spot was rookie catcher Austin Wells’ first big-league homer, in the ninth, but "it was a special night for (King),'' said Wells.
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Michael King's 13 strikeout performance fuels more hope toward Yankees' 2024 rotation
