With their playoff dreams on life support, the Yankees’ eyes have turned towards the future. Developing youngsters such as Anthony Volpe, Everson Pereira and Oswald Peraza has become a priority for the Bombers.
However, the group of rookies aren’t the only ones being molded for the future as Thursday’s starter against the Nationals will likely spend the remainder of the season growing into a new role.
Michael King is making his second start of the season as manager Aaron Boone continues to stretch him into a potential starting pitcher. The 28-year-old owns a 3.26 ERA in 41 appearances (40 coming out of the bullpen) this season.
“Just want to give Kinger that opportunity and continue to stretch him out a little bit when it presents itself,” Boone said before Thursday afternoon’s game. “I think it’s worth seeing him continue to [stretch out]. …
“Anytime you can add another starter to the mix as a real option, that’s intriguing. He has the pitch mix and arsenal to be able to do it if he can sustain his stuff throughout that time. … He has a starter’s repertoire and it wouldn’t be surprising if he was able to do it.”
Boone added that King is built up to more than 40 or 45 pitches, however, he will not throw much more than that Thursday.
There may be some concern stretching out the right-hander as he is a little more than a year removed from an elbow fracture that caused him to miss most of the second half of 2022.
The Yankees’ skipper is unsure if starting every five days will have a different injury-related effect than King’s usual role.
“I think, either way we go [starting or relieving], we’ll try and be smart as far what volume he can handle,” Boone said. “As a staring pitcher, it’s not so much more or less its the regularity and the routine of the things that allows you to recover and bounce back.
“We’ve been disciplined all year with him. … I don’t know that there’s necessarily a healthy way to go if you’re able to protect him on both sides.”
Oswald Peraza was the odd man out for a majority of this season after he lost the spring training shortstop battle to Anthony Volpe. However, the 23-year-old is back in a new role as essentially the everyday third baseman but will shuffle around the infield when Gleyber Torres and Volpe get days off.
Peraza will get plenty of looks and playing time from the Yankees as they evaluate where he stands in their future plans.
“I think he’s just a really talented defender,” Boone said. “The biggest thing for Oswald right now is hopefully getting the consistent at bats. We feel pretty comfortable with what he is as a defender and feel like wherever we put him on the field, whether it’s second, short or third, he’s going to be pretty special out there.
“It’s now getting the regular at-bats at this level.”
The infielder is slashing .153/.306/.169 with 0 homers and 6 RBI in 21 games this season. Peraza has spent the majority of this season in Triple-A Scranton Wilkes-Barre working on becoming a consistent hitter.
“He’s made some adjustments already this year,” said Boone. “I know he’s not doing his leg kick as much right now which I know he really likes. …
“He’s got bat speed, he’s got strength, he can drive the ball. But in his load, having that little bit of [hand] separation, that I think will allow him to go to another level as a hitter. And then just regularly seeing major league pitching.”
Peraza is back in the lineup for a third straight game batting ninth and playing the hot corner.
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