If there’s one person who has reason to believe Chase Whitley is ready for his major league debut for the Yankees in the Subway Series on Thursday, it’s Dean Treanor.
“I wish they called him up before he faced us,” said Treanor, the manager of the Indians’ Triple-A affiliate in Indianapolis. “We didn’t have much of a chance against him.”
With Yankees dropping like flies, they have had to turn to some unexpected places for help, and Whitley is next on the list to start Thursday’s Subway Series game at Citi Field, now that CC Sabathia is on the disabled list with a bad right knee.
In his final extended outing with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on May 6, Whitley dominated Indianapolis, tossing 6 1/3 shutout innings, giving up just three hits and striking out 11.
John Ryan Murphy, who has experience catching Whitley in the minors, said the right-hander’s changeup was his best pitch, but Treanor thought the real difference-maker was his cutter.
“He still had a good change/split, but his cutter was hitting 86 or 87 [mph],” Treanor said. “Last year, it seemed like it was more of a slider at 83 or 84. It was a lot harder to hit this time around.”
The 24-year-old Whitley is making the transition to his starting role, having started just seven games in the previous two seasons.
“It’s a completely different mentality,” Murphy said. “He’s going to have to rely on more than just a couple of pitches now that he’s starting.”
Twice this season, Whitley tossed five shutout innings against Buffalo, but the performance against Indianapolis was his best.
Preston Claiborne, who came up through the system with Whitley, said the bright lights of the Subway Series at Citi Field will not affect the hurler.
“I don’t think he’s going to be overwhelmed by anything,” Claiborne said. “He’s been the same guy since we got drafted. He’s so even-keeled.”
If he has his command, Claiborne said he believes Whitley will be able to succeed.
“The best thing about him is he’s not a flashy guy,” Claiborne said. “He goes out and pounds the zone, has good rhythm and is smart.”
That’s what Yankees manager Joe Girardi is hoping for, after his rotation has dissolved into shambles, outside of Masahiro Tanaka, over the last few weeks.
“As much as he can, [he needs to] get himself through the first inning and calm himself down,” the manager said. “I don’t care who you are or how highly touted you are, the first time you walk onto a major league field there are a lot of emotions. The first inning is usually your biggest worry for a guy like that.”
Treanor, for one, said he thinks Whitley will be fine.
“If he throws like we saw him throw, he can get guys out up there,” Treanor said.