The Yankees are about to get their first real look at Randy Vasquez.
The 24-year-old right-hander arrived in the Yankees clubhouse on Thursday and is expected to make his MLB debut on Friday against the Padres, either as a starter or bulk reliever behind an opener.
“Very surprised,” Vasquez said through an interpreter. “You’re always waiting for that call. It’s a call [I’ve] been waiting [my] whole life for, ever since [I] was a kid.”
Manager Aaron Boone indicated that Vasquez would be part of the Yankees’ pitching plans Friday “in some way, shape or form” – so not necessarily as a traditional starter.
But having not pitched since May 17 for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, Vasquez can give them length.
Because of Domingo German’s 10-game suspension for a failed foreign-substance check, the Yankees were going to need an extra starter (or a bullpen game) for either Friday or Saturday.
They decided to give Luis Severino, who will now pitch on Saturday, an extra day of rest heading into his second start of the season after beginning the year on the IL.
Vasquez, the Yankees’ No. 9 prospect and third-ranked pitching prospect, according to Baseball America, made the most sense to receive a spot start because he is already on the 40-man roster.
He had also been pitching better of late after a rough start to the season in his first taste of Triple-A.
Across his last five starts, Vasquez had a 2.67 ERA with 28 strikeouts and 12 walks in 27 innings.
It was an improvement over his first four starts, when he had an 8.62 ERA with 22 strikeouts and 11 walks in 15 ⅔ innings.
“Really I was just working on mental strength,” Vasquez said. “Having the ability to attack hitters. Figure out how you put together a plan, find their weakness and put that into effect. Be strong and have a strong mentality of execution.”
