During the Yankees playoff runs of the late 2010’s, the discourse around the team’s need for improved pitching was chaotic. At the time, Luis Severino’s was the club’s best starter, but he did not always provide the length needed in the playoffs, leaving the rest of the rotation and bullpen in a sticky situation. On top of that, it was clear Larry Rothschild was not a fit to get the most out of the rotation, including Severino.
That left Brian Cashman at a crucial inflection point in his Yankees’ tenure. Rothschild didn’t work. With baseball, and the Yankees, moving more in the direction of heavy analytical influence, Cashman needed to make the right hire.