The provided text discusses the New York Yankees’ strategy and potential moves in the 2024 season to strengthen their pitching staff. Here are the key points:
1. **Offensive Acquisitions:** The Yankees have significantly improved their offense with the acquisitions of Juan Soto and Alex Verdugo. However, these acquisitions have come at the expense of pitching depth.
2. **Pitching Needs:** With the pitching depth affected, the text emphasizes the need for the Yankees to fill the backend of their rotation and find bargains in the free-agent market.
3. **Potential Pitching Acquisitions:**
– **Lucas Giolito:** Despite recent struggles, Giolito is considered a potential bargain. The text highlights his track record of consistently eating innings and a history of success from 2019 to 2021. Giolito’s pitch mix aligns well with the Yankees’ preferences, making him a suitable candidate. His market value is estimated at around $11 million.
– **Noah Syndergaard:** Syndergaard, recovering from Tommy John Surgery, is seen as a candidate to revitalize his career with the Yankees. Despite a significant drop in velocity, he has a strong track record, a developed changeup, and an effective slider. The text suggests that working with the Yankees’ pitching coach, Matt Blake, could help Syndergaard unlock his true potential. His potential price tag is estimated at $9 million for a single season.
4. **Rationale for Acquiring Both:** The text argues that the Yankees should consider signing both Giolito and Syndergaard to add quality depth with high upside and the potential to eat a lot of innings. The goal is to have a formidable rotation from top to bottom.
5. **Potential Rotation:**
– Gerrit Cole
– Carlos Rodon
– Yoshinobu Yamamoto
– Nestor Cortes Jr.
– Lucas Giolito
– Noah Syndergaard (SP/RL)
6. **Rotation Flexibility:** The potential signing of Yoshinobu Yamamoto is mentioned, and it is noted that he pitched once a week in Japan. Having six quality arms could help offset the workload and protect injury-prone players.
7. **Financial Considerations:** While acknowledging the front office’s potential reluctance to significantly exceed the $300 million payroll, the text suggests that the investment in quality pitching could pay huge dividends for the team.
In summary, the text outlines a strategy for the Yankees to address their pitching needs by potentially signing Lucas Giolito and Noah Syndergaard, along with the consideration of Yoshinobu Yamamoto, to create a strong and flexible rotation for the 2024 season.
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