The Yankees held high hopes for their revamped starting rotation heading into spring training. After all, four of the starters who helped the team achieve its first 100-win season since 2009 remained in the fold. Plus, the club succeeded in swapping out its least effective starter in favor of a potentially high-ceiling arm who notched a no-hitter last season.
Unfortunately, disappointment struck almost immediately, as staff ace Luis Severino got scratched from his first Grapefruit League start. Although initially expected to miss only the first month of the season, Severino suffered a setback resulting in him getting shut down for an additional six weeks.