Carlos Lagrange has put himself in the postseason conversation, but the New York Yankees do not appear eager to rush the hard-throwing prospect into October.
Yankees pitching coach Matt Blake acknowledged that Lagrange has emerged as an option if the club suffers additional pitching losses. However, Blake made clear that using the 23-year-old in the postseason would likely mean the Yankees’ pitching situation had deteriorated.
“If it gets to that point, we’re probably in a bad spot,” Blake said, via Bryan Hoch of MLB.com.
Blake added that such a scenario would mean other pitchers had gone down and Lagrange had become the next available choice. Still, he noted that the right-hander has “certainly put his name in the mix.”
That is significant for Lagrange, who has spent the season building his case in the Yankees’ minor-league system. His fastball can reach triple digits, giving him the kind of raw velocity that can quickly change an at-bat.
The Yankees have already secured a postseason berth, but their pitching depth remains an important part of their October planning. Lagrange’s emergence gives the organization another option if injuries create a need for additional bullpen help.
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For now, though, Blake’s comments suggest the Yankees would prefer to rely on their established pitchers rather than immediately throw Lagrange into a postseason game.
That does not diminish what the prospect has accomplished. Instead, it shows just how high the bar is for a young pitcher to make his MLB debut in October.
Lagrange may not be part of the Yankees’ postseason plans yet, but he has done enough to make sure his name is being discussed.
