The mantra for the New York Yankees this offseason has been to get younger and more durable.
They did it in the outfield by choosing Juan Soto and Alex Verdugo as their primary starters. Both players have played in at least 140 games over the past three consecutive seasons, with Soto playing in all 162 games last season. General manager Brian Cashman attempted to find a pitcher who also fit that mold, targeting Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who had pitched at least 170 innings over the past three years with the Orix Buffaloes. As we now know, Yamamoto signed a 12-year, $325 million contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers, ending the Yankees’ pursuit. The team is trying to pick up the pieces and add more talent to the rotation, a desperate need after trading Michael King and losing Frankie Montas, Luis Severino and Domingo German this offseason. Montas signed a one-year, $16 million contract with the Cincinnati Reds on Saturday, taking a primary free agent option off the market. The top two remaining alternatives are Jordan Montgomery and Blake Snell, but the Yankees are likely out of the running for the NL Cy Young Award winner, according to an MLB insider. “I don’t think the top remaining free agent options fit what the Yankees need: Blake Snell has too many Rodon-like risks ahead of him, Jordan Montgomery will cost about the same as Rodon last season and offer less advantages, while not being the type of pitcher the Yankees are targeting (i.e. younger or with a better raw material),” wrote ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel. “After these two, the remaining free agent starters are mid-rotation types and New York needs a bigger impact.”Given the state of the market, the Yankees will have to pay big bucks for both starters, which doesn’t necessarily fit with what Cashman is trying to accomplish. Both Montgomery and Snell are 31 years old, meaning a long-term deal would put them in the final stages of their prime, which could see a massive decline. The Yankees already signed Carlos Rodan to a six-year, $162 million contract last offseason, making it unlikely they will spend that amount again on a player over 30.That said, Snell poses a much bigger risk than Montgomery given his inconsistencies and injuries over the years. Snell pitched 180 innings last season with the San Diego Padres, which is an anomaly after pitching fewer than 130 innings the last four consecutive years. Sure, they’d bet on the upside of him and come away with an elite season, but that’s a significant risk that Cashman probably isn’t willing to take. The Yankees offense will have to get creative with the rotation, possibly trading for a player on an expiring contract or waiting until next summer’s trade deadline to make a move. One thing is for sure: the team needs several young players to step up, especially Clarke Schmidt, Will Warren and possibly Hampton.
Leave a Reply