Five weeks ago, J.A. Happ found himself having starts skipped and in disagreements with the Yankees’ management.
Happ, who has a $17 million vesting option in his contract, which the Yankees were not so subtly looking to do away with—pitched to an over 10 ERA in his first two starts. The 37-year-old lefty may have changed that narrative.
In an 8-0 Yankees victory last night over the Boston Red Sox, Happ pitched a gem. New York has now won 10 in a row, and Happ has lowered his ERA down to 3.25 while looking like a dominant pitcher.
J.A. Happ Dominant
Credit is given when due, and right now, Happ is lighting up the AL East. His last three starts against the Blue Jays, Orioles, and Red Sox, Happ has pitched 19.1 innings, struck out 24, and yielded just three earned runs. After his first two starts of the year, nobody could have imagined this level of pitching from Happ, but he’s not only has made a point that he belongs in the rotation, rather he can be a go-to guy come playoff time.
Yankees Back From the Brink
The Yankees as a team have gotten red hot, coming back from the dead after losing 17 out of 21 games. Much of the credit for the turn around belongs to Happ. He has been arguably the best pitcher on the roster since the middle of August. While Gerrit Cole and Mashario Tanaka were having their struggles, Happ has been the most dependable guy every five days. The Yankees bats have come alive and set a new record hitting 19 homers in a three-game span during the Baltimore and Toronto series.
With the MLB playoffs starting in a little over two weeks, Happ makes his case to get the ball in that first-round best of three series. The Yankees needed guys like Happ and Deivi Garcia to step up, and not only have they answered the call, but they have turned the tide for the Yankees in 2020.
