LAKELAND, Fla. — Deivi Garcia has been competing since before he got to Tampa this spring.
The young right-hander is not just battling for a spot back on the big league roster, but after a disastrous 2021 season he’s re-establishing himself. In two starts this spring, the 22-year-old has looked more like the kid that broke into the big leagues in 2020.
With expanded rosters for April and the Yankees likely to take 15 pitchers, Garcia could make his way into the bullpen or the starting rotation. He’s competing with other youngsters like Luis Gil and Clarke Schmidt to break camp with the Yankees, but also to let them know down the road he can help them get outs.
“Competing is everything, so where you pitch doesn’t matter,” Garcia said through interpreter Marlon Abreu. “I see it as an opportunity to pitch and an opportunity to help the team so wherever it may be, if it’s in the beginning or the end, wherever, I’m gonna try to do my best to compete and give my best to the team.”
Monday, Garcia allowed one run, a homer to Dustin Garneau, in 2.2 innings of work. He struck out one and did not walk a batter. He showed better fastball command and velocity than he did during the 2021 season, when he pitched to a 6.85 ERA in Triple-A.
Yankees pitching coach Matt Blake said that Garcia may have tried to make too big of a mechanical change last season. So they went back to look at his delivery when he had success in 2019 and 2020 and built from there.
“Just taking care of his body, owning his delivery that he’s comfortable with and getting the arm slot back up a little bit and I think that’s where you see a little bit more power,” Blake said. “And he’s kind of getting the characteristics of the fastball back which is kind of what he showcased today.”
The Yankees have questions about their big league starting staff behind Gerrit Cole.
Luis Severino has pitched just 27.1 innings over the last three years because of major injuries like a torn lat muscle and Tommy John surgery, as well as nagging issues like a hamstring strain and shoulder soreness. Jameson Taillon flashed some really good stuff, but ended the year needing ankle surgery. Nestor Cortes was their most consistent starter and Jordan Montgomery was a solid back-end of the rotation lefty.
Among their younger pitchers, Luis Gil was impressive in six starts last season, pitching to a 3.07 ERA, but that was limited. Clarke Schmidt missed most of the season with an elbow issue. Michael King has proven more useful as a reliever than a starter.
All of these pitchers will likely have to contribute at some point this season.
“If we go out with 15 [pitchers] to start, I think we’d feel pretty good about that,” Blake said earlier this month, explaining the Yankees could use 25 to 30 pitchers this season. “And it’s really probably like the first turn and a half through that you’re really playing under and then just being creative with those extra spots.
“Are they starter-piggyback type? Are they just long guys that have flexibility? We have guys like Cortes and King and [Lucas Luetge] who can kind of spread out a little bit and some of the younger guys whether it’s [J.P. Sears] or [Ron Marinaccio] or Clarke or Deivi, those type.”
Blake said the Yankees feel they are in a good spot with the depth of their pitching because of the development of young pitchers like Garcia and Gil.
“I think it’s been huge for guys like Deivi, Gil, Schmidt, Sears, all these guys,” Blake said. “It’s probably going to be the same [as 2020] this year, so we’re gonna call their name at some point.”
