TORONTO — Aaron Boone said “everything is on the table” when it comes to who the Yankees will pitch the rest of the way, as they try to finish off their second-half turnaround and make it to the playoffs.
That includes potentially pitching Gerrit Cole on three days’ rest if Sunday is a must-win game, according to Boone.
“It feels like that’s a ways away,’’ Boone said before the Yankees finished their series against the Blue Jays at Rogers Centre on Thursday night. “But of course that’s on the table. We’ll see how [Cole] does over the next few days. We hope it’s not a factor if we take care of business.”
Taking care of business would mean clinching a wild-card spot before Game 162 on Sunday.
Cole’s recent struggles since returning from a hamstring injury make him no sure bet to pitch well whenever he does take the mound again.
In his last five outings — including the one in which he left with the tight hamstring — Cole has a 6.15 ERA in 26 ¹/₃ innings.
If Cole is used before the wild-card game, the Yankees could turn to Jordan Montgomery for that do-or-die contest, but their suddenly questionable rotation would then be in even worse shape for a potential ALDS matchup against the Rays, who have already clinched the top seed in the American League and will play whoever wins the wild-card game.
The Yankees entered Thursday’s game with a magic number of three to accomplish that, with a one-game lead for the top wild-card spot over the Red Sox, a 1 ¹/₂ -game lead on the idle Mariners and a two-game advantage over Toronto for the final wild-card position.
After going with Corey Kluber on Thursday, the Yankees are slated to turn to Nestor Cortes Jr. on Friday against Tampa Bay in The Bronx, followed by Montgomery on Saturday.
Sunday remains up in the air.
With Jameson Taillon sidelined again by a partially torn tendon in his right ankle, the Yankees aren’t as deep when it comes to starting pitchers.
On Thursday, Luis Severino said he would be up for starting any game the Yankees asked him to, though he acknowledged he would likely only be able to go two or three innings.
He also said he would rather enter to start a game, since he’s still more used to warming up before a game than during it, pointing to his reduced velocity in his first few pitches when he comes out of the bullpen.
“My only issue [as a reliever] is warming up,’’ said Severino, who was available in relief on Thursday. “Other guys only need 10 pitches to get warmed up and then they can come into the game pitching their best. I need more than that, so that’s what I’m working on.”
There’s not enough time left for Severino to build up enough to be a legitimate starter after missing nearly two full seasons following February 2020 Tommy John surgery and a rehab process that was delayed by other injuries on more than one occasion.
After coming back from a strained groin and right shoulder tightness, Severino has been a much-needed added weapon out of the pen.
However he’s used, Severino’s innings will be valuable, as the Yankees’ rotation hasn’t pitched deep into games lately.