It’s common knowledge that the Yankees are looking for an arm to start with ace Gerrit Cole in their rotation. The team had Yoshinobu Yamamoto, an NPB star, in their sights for the majority of the offseason, but they had to change course after the right-hander decided to accept a contract with the Dodgers last month. The team appears to have increased their efforts recently, as new rumors link them to free agent southpaw Blake Snell and right-hander Dylan Cease via trade. In a recent update on the club’s pitching efforts, Jon Heyman of the New York Post said that “there’s a belief” within the organization that the team will be successful in adding a front-of-the-rotation arm before to the start of the season. Heyman goes on to say that club chairman Hal Steinbrenner is “on board” with the concept of adding a big player to the rotation, indicating that ownership is willing to invest money in improving the rotation.
Naturally, saying you’re going to add a front-of-the-rotation starter and actually doing so are two different things. Heyman notes that the team has been in contact with Snell during his free agency, despite a noticeable gulf in their negotiations. Jordan Montgomery, a left-hander, is also unimpressed, but Heyman reports that the Yankees think they have a greater chance of signing Snell than the other southpaw. Naturally, Montgomery spent six and a half seasons in the Bronx after being selected by the Yankees in the fourth round of the 2014 draft. At the 2022 trade deadline, he was sent to St. Louis.
Heyman speculates that after winning the World Series with the Rangers last season, Montgomery could opt to rejoin the team this offseason. Even in that scenario, though, it’s important to remember that Texas’s front management has said the team doesn’t have much money available for big signings. Joel Sherman of the New York Post recently revealed that Montgomery is pursuing a contract that would exceed the $172MM Aaron Nola re-signed in Philadelphia for back in November. That might provide a significant obstacle to the left-hander and Montgomery getting back together in Arlington. Sherman mentions that Snell is reportedly looking for more than $200MM this winter, so even with that request, he is still more affordable than Snell.
Regarding Cease, Heyman observes that there is a “serious gap” in the negotiations between the White Sox and Yankees because Yankee brass is unsure if Chicago actually intends to move Cease before the season starts, and Heyman also notes that the Sox would have a difficult time outbidding other teams like the Reds and Orioles for the righty’s services. Having said that, the Yankees are considering other players in the trade market than Cease. Heyman notes that the team has talked about trading for the Marlins as they want lefties Trevor Rogers, Braxton Garrett, and Jesus Luzardo in addition to right-hander Edward Cabrera. However, he also notes that those teams don’t seem to be close to a deal.
Nevertheless, the Marlins might end up fitting the Yankees’ needs as a trade partner more closely than the White Sox. As things are, Miami is obviously in need of a starting shortstop. Vidal Brujan and Xavier Edwards are viable depth alternatives, but utilityman Jon Berti is now slated for the everyday shortstop position. While 2023’s double play tandem of Anthony Volpe and Gleyber Torres looks to keep rookie Oswald Peraza from seeing regular playing time in the big, New York has plenty of depth in the middle infield. A fourth option year on the slick-fielding infielder Peraza just gave the Yankees more choice in how they manage him, but the 23-year-old may make a lot of sense as the focal point of a package that gets the Yankees a strong rotation piece.
It’s obvious that the Yankees need to add someone, regardless of how they decide to handle their problems with the rotation. The club’s rotation depth has been seriously hampered by the departures of Michael King, Jhony Brito, Randy Vasquez, Luis Severino, and Domingo German this offseason via trade or free agency. At the head of the rotation, Cole gives the team a dependable, innings-eating ace, but Nestor Cortes and Carlos Rodon are coming off 2023 seasons marred by injuries and inefficiency. In his first season as a regular starter, Clarke Schmidt performed at the level of a back-end starter; nonetheless, in the absence of an outside addition, the club’s final rotation position would go to an unsettled rookie like Clayton Beeter or Luis Gil.
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