New York Yankees pitching coach Matt Blake announced that the team is likely to start the season with a five-man rotation. Some teams may be more likely to use alternative rotation strategies in a shortened season, but the Yankees appear unlikely to be in that group. The Yankees are likely to go with a rotation of Gerrit Cole, Masahiro Tanaka, James Paxton, J.A. Happ, and Jordan Montgomery, with Jonathan Loaisiga as the primary sixth option if needed.

New York Yankees starting pitcher James Paxton (back), who had surgery on Feb. 5 to fix a herniated disc in his back and to remove a peridiscal cyst, is expected to be ready for the start of the 2020 regular season in late July. Paxton left his final regular season start last year on Sept. 27 with tightness in his left glute muscle, but he returned for three playoff starts. "We believe that his injury issue is resolved," general manager Brian Cashman said, adding New York needs to evaluate ...

New York Yankees starting pitcher James Paxton has altered his fastball grip to produce a higher spin rate with the pitch. Paxton tends to throw his fastball up in the zone, and the pitch is complemented by a solid curveball. As a result, if Paxton successfully adds spin to his fastball then hes likely to see his strikeout rate rise from its already high 29.4% mark from last season. The delayed season should allow Paxton plenty of time to get comfortable with his new grip, so fantasy owners ...

New York Yankees starting pitcher James Paxton (back) has been throwing simulated games as he recovers from offseason back surgery. Paxtons rehab has gone well so far, and it seems like the 31-year-old is in line to be healthy for Opening Day, whenever that may be. When healthy, Paxton is a solid fantasy option who consistently posts an ERA around 3.70 with a high strikeout rate of around 30%. Given Paxtons successful rehab, fantasy owners should draft him as if hes fully healthy, making him a ...

New York Yankees starting pitcher James Paxton (back) has been throwing bullpen sessions and appears likely to be ready for Opening Day. Paxton underwent back surgery over the offseason and has avoided setbacks in his recovery so far, and his return to full health bumps pitcher Jonathan Loaisiga out of the Yankee rotation. Paxton boasts an impressive 22.7% K-BB% over the past three seasons, and although his 3.82 ERA from last season is somewhat underwhelming, the 31-year-olds ability to strike...

New York Yankees starting pitcher James Paxton (back) is continuing to recover from back surgery at home, and pitching coach Matt Blake indicated that Paxton has been progressing well. Paxton hopes to be ready for game action as soon as mid-May, and the recent update suggests that hell be healthy enough to pitch in games by June at the latest. At this point, it seems likely that Paxton will be ready by the start of the regular season (whenever that is), so fantasy owners should expect to get a ...

New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone reported on Monday that starting pitcher James Paxton (back) and outfielders Aaron Judge (ribs) and Giancarlo Stanton (calf) could all be ready for Opening Day. With season unlikely to start until June at the earliest, the injured Yankees should have plenty of time to heal. As a result, the many Yankees who had been vying for starting roles in wake of the injuries may not receive regular playing time. That includes outfielders Mike Tauchman and Clint ...

New York Yankees starting pitcher James Paxton (back) played catch for the first time since December and reported feeling good afterward. Paxton underwent surgery to remove a cyst in his back in early February and appears to be on track for his original three-to-four month timeline. Paxton said that a return in mid-May represents his earliest possible return date, though fantasy owners should plan for him to return in June in case of setbacks. Fantasy owners should be encouraged by Paxtons ...

New York Yankees starting pitcher James Paxton (back) could start throwing again as soon as Wednesday as long as he doesnt experience any setbacks. Paxton underwent surgery to remove a cyst in his back at the beginning of February, and the most optimistic timeline for Paxtons return is around the beginning of May. When healthy, Paxton is capable of posting a strikeout rate above 30% with an ERA around 3.80. Last season, Paxton increased the usage of his cutter (21.64% swinging-strike rate), ...

New York Yankees starting pitcher James Paxton (back) had surgery three weeks ago and is now nearly ready to start throwing. An optimistic target date for Paxton to resume throwing is March 5, but the southpaw is reportedly feeling good, so some optimism is warranted. When healthy, Paxton is a hard-throwing lefty who accumulates strikeouts at a 30% clip, so fantasy owners should continue monitoring his health over the next few weeks. His price in fantasy drafts has obviously fallen, but he could...