hot stove

Will the New York Yankees pursue a Luis Castillo trade?

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New York Yankees, Luis Castillo

There is no secret that the New York Yankees have struggled with starting pitching over the last few years. They have made moves over the past few years to attempt to address it, but nothing ever led to a World Series.

The Yankees signed the best pitcher in baseball last year in Gerrit Cole. However, the rotation behind Cole completely fell apart. James Paxton was acquired the year before but couldn’t stay healthy in 2020 to help the Yankees.

Luis Severino was out for the year due to Tommy John and Domingo German was suspended. Masahiro Tanaka and JA Happ were inconsistent as well as the young pitchers like Jordan Montgomery and Deivi Garcia.

Simply put, the Yankees had no consistency behind Gerrit Cole. If they want to win a World Series, they need to have a bonafide number two starter that sits behind their ace. Right now, they don’t have that.

When at his best, Luis Severino could be that guy. However, the Yankees don’t know what to expect from Severino as he attempts to come back in 2021. The Yankees are currently examining the market looking for pitching reinforcements.

It’s widely known that the bombers are not going to spend to sign a guy like Trevor Bauer. Bauer played for the Reds last year and won the Cy Young. However, there is a pitcher who pitched for the Reds that the Yankees should pursue.

The Yankees and the Reds to make another deal?

No, the Yankees shouldn’t go after Sonny Gray who’s reportedly available. That’s a been there, done that type of situation. Instead, the Yankees should definitely pursue the young All-Star, Luis Castillo.

Supposedly, the Reds are listening to offers for the young pitcher. Dan Federico was first to report this and it was later confirmed by Jon Heyman. The Yankees should be all over this potential trade.

Luis Castillo would be the perfect option to backup Gerrit Cole in the Yankees rotation. Castillo was 4-6 with a 3.21 ERA last year on the heels of an All-Star season that saw him go 15-8 with a 3.40 ERA.

Acquiring someone like Castillo would cost the Yankees a lot. In terms of prospects, this would be a much steeper price than getting a guy like Francisco Lindor considering Lindor’s pending free agency.

Castillo wouldn’t hit the free agent market until after the 2023 season. If the Yankees could pull off a deal for Castillo, that would instantly make them much better. Imagine a rotation with Cole, Castillo, and a healthy Severino.

There is no word on if the Yankees are pursuing Castillo. However, I would expect them to take a hard look if the Reds are serious about dealing him. This is a situation to watch.

New York Yankees’ Domingo German struggling mightily in Winter League

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New York Yankees, Domingo German

New York Yankees GM Brian Cashman said that Domingo German is at worst a number two starter recently on the YES Network. Domingo German missed the entire 2020 season due to suspension, but the Yankees are planning on his return in 2021.

Prior to that suspension, German had a very solid 2019 season for the Yankees. In 24 starts and 27 total appearances in 2019, German pitched to a 18-4 record with a 4.03 ERA. German looked like a pitcher who was coming into his own.

However, late in the season, the Yankees were informed of a domestic abuse situation with German. We won’t go into details for this article, but after an investigation, German was suspended for the 2019 postseason and part of 2020.

With the shortened season, German ended up being suspended for the entire season. The Yankees had been planning on getting German back in the rotation for 2021. However, German has not looked promising in the Dominican Winter League.

So far, German has pitched 16.1 innings and allowed 13 runs. That’s good enough for an ERA of 7.16. He’s also allowed 17 hits and 9 walks which translates to a WHIP of almost 1.6 which is absolutely atrocious.

Should the Yankees be concerned?

It’s important to remember that this is Winter League baseball. This is more about German getting back in the rhythm of pitching and getting back on the mound. However, these numbers should alarm the Yankees.

Again, it’s hard to imagine these numbers sticking since German is just now getting back into the swing of things. However, if you’re telling yourself that this guy is your number two starter, there should be an alarm going off.

When on, I really like Domingo German for the Yankees rotation. However, I don’t like him as the number two to Gerrit Cole. If the Yankees go into the season planning on German as the number two, it’s going to be a rough ride.

As of now, the rotation would look something like this: Gerrit Cole, Domingo German, Jordan Montgomery, Deivi Garcia, and Clarke Schmidt. Luis Severino will come back at some point to take a spot in the rotation.

That rotation is not a World Series caliber rotation for the Yankees. The Yankees are currently exploring the trade market for starting pitching options, but the options are limited.

They are not in on Trevor Bauer either because of the price tag and their desire to shed payroll. Domingo German is a better pitcher than he’s showing in the DR right now. However, his start should be alarming to a team that’s planning on him being the number two in a rotation.

Trade Gleyber Torres? Why the New York Yankees would do it

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New York Yankees, Gleyber Torres

The New York Yankees offseason is moving at a snails pace at the moment. The reason being is the holdup in the DJ LeMahieu negotiations. There were several reports out stating the Yankees and LeMahieu are currently $25 million apart on a new deal. 

However, from my understanding, that money is primarily coming from an extra year. The Yankees have been firm on offering four years while LeMahieu’s camp is looking for a fifth year. While the two sides remain apart, I believe they will get a deal done eventually.

For the sake of this article, let’s say that the Yankees get a deal done with DJ LeMahieu. Now, let’s dive into the title that might throw many Yankees fans through a loop. Why on Earth would the Yankees look at trading their young star, Gleyber Torres?

Let’s take a look at the Yankees infields situation. If they resign LeMahieu, he will likely be sticking to second base moving forward unless the Yankees think about transitioning him to first base or third base in the future.

With that, Gleyber Torres would need to stay at shortstop. The problem is that he is just simply not very good there. Even Brian Cashman said last week that Torres is much better at second base than shortstop. 

A comment like that doesn’t seem to convey confidence that the Yankees see Torres as a long-term solution at shortstop. So if they sign LeMahieu to play second base for the next four-five years, what does that mean for Torres?

The Yankees Potential Plan

The reality is that the Yankees might look at moving Gleyber Torres after the 2021 season. I don’t believe that they will look at moving him this offseason because they will try to give him one more shot at shortstop next year.

If next year goes similarly to this year in terms of his performance at the position, the Yankees will look at moving him. The free agent shortstop class next year is stacked with some of the best shortstops in the business.

Guys like Francisco Lindor, Carlos Correa, Javier Baez, Corey Seager, and Trevor Story are all hitting the market next year. All of those guys are better options at that position than Gleyber Torres.

Torres is a young star in baseball which would make him very desirable. The Yankees desperately need starting pitching help. A situation we could very well see is the Yankees go after a free agent shortstop while shopping Torres for a starter.

While it would hurt to trade a young star like Torres, the Yankees could take care of two issues in doing so. They could land an actual all-star shortstop while improving the rotation. I love Gleyber Torres as a fan, but the reality is, the best move might be moving him after 2021.

What’s the latest with the New York Yankees and DJ LeMahieu?

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New York Yankees, DJ LeMahieu

A couple of weeks ago, I reported that the New York Yankees and DJ LeMahieu were making progress on a potential deal. Since then, we have continued to hear from a variety of outlets that talks have gone well between the two sides.

However, there’s still work to do on a potential deal. Two weeks after my initial report and there’s still no deal between the Yankees and DJ LeMahieu. So what exactly is holding things up at this point?

I think it’s pretty well known by virtually everyone that LeMahieu is the top priority for the Yankees. They aren’t even really looking into additional moves at the moment. They are laser focused on bringing LeMahieu back.

The Yankees have a limit on where they will go for DJ LeMahieu and that is where this whole thing is being held up. I was told a couple of weeks ago that a deal was heading in the right direction and it would be four years with a potential option on a fifth year.

We are now hearing that the fifth year is the holdup in this entire thing. Dan Federico also reported yesterday that LeMahieu was seeking a 5-6 year deal around $20+ million AAV.

The Yankees are sitting at four years and my understanding is they are only wanting to do a fifth year if it’s optional. LeMahieu and his camp are good with the first four years of the Yankee offer. However, that guaranteed fifth years is why it hasn’t crossed the finish line just yet.

Will the Yankees budge?

What fans should know is that the Yankees and LeMahieu want to renew the relationship. LeMahieu wants to return and the Yankees want their MVP candidate back for the next few seasons. However, business is still business at the end of the day.

There are plenty of additional suitors for LeMahieu including the Blue Jays and the Mets. From my understanding, those teams are far more willing to go to that fifth year than the Yankees are at this point.

From everything I have personally heard and everything that has been reported, I truly believe the deal would be done if the Yankees would guarantee a fifth year. However, they continue to stand firm in their current offer.

I expect the LeMahieu deal to be finished before Christmas this year. The deal could happen as early as this week. However, it should still be known that the Yankees aren’t guaranteed to bring back DJ LeMahieu.

If they go to a fifth year right now, I believe the deal would get made today. However, if the Yankees wait too long or if LeMahieu doesn’t budge, the odds go up that another team could swoop in with an offer that’s too good to pass up. Something like a six year $135 million deal.

This is a situation we will continue to watch. It’s far from a done deal, however, I still believe that LeMahieu will be back with the Yankees. The two sides want to be together, but again, business has to be taken care of first.

Are the New York Yankees looking to add a veteran starter?

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New York Yankees, Aaron Boone, Brian Cashman

If you’ve been following the New York Yankees over the past decade, you’ve heard the same issue discussed over and over. That issue is the lack of starting pitching. Lack of starting pitching and consistent hitting have been the Yankees downfall.

The bombers attempted to address the starting pitching issue last offseason. The Yankees went out and signed the best pitcher on the market in Gerrit Cole. Overall, Cole had a very good first year in pinstripes. He pitched very well in his three postseason starts.

However, the Yankees still fell short and didn’t make it to the World Series. The World Series drought for the Yankees continued in 2020. To be fair to the Yankees, their rotation took some injury hits this year that really hindered the club.

Luis Severino (injury) and Domingo German (suspension) missed the entire season. James Paxton also missed a majority of the season due to injuries. The Yankees are planning on having German back next year and Severino to return at some point.

However, there are still a ton of question marks about the rotation moving forward. Masahiro Tanaka is a free agent and there is no guarantee that the Yankees retain his services. Jordan Montgomery will get a starting rotation spot, but after that, there’s question marks.

Right now if things go as planned, the Yankees have three rotation spots confirmed: Gerrit Cole, Jordan Montgomery, and Domingo German. Severino will take a spot when he’s healthy, but there’s no word on when that’ll be.

The Yankees options?

In a perfect world, the Yankees would make another sexy splash and sign Trevor Bauer. Imagine a rotation led by Cole and Bauer, however, we know that the bombers are looking to cut payroll instead of adding this offseason.

The Yankees are focused on bringing back DJ LeMahieu and that is not going to come cheap. Once they resign LeMahieu, they will look at how to improve the club. I could see them adding a guy like Archie Bradley for the bullpen.

For the starting rotation, they are not going to be shopping near the top. Instead, I think the Yankees are going to be in the bargain bin hoping for a diamond in the rough. They will also be looking to add a veteran presence in the rotation.

Two names that would make a lot of sense are Jose Quintana and Corey Kluber. The Yankees have liked Quintana for a long time and originally attempted to acquire him from the White Sox before they traded him to the Cubs.

Quintana really struggled with the Cubs in comparison to his years with the White Sox. However, the Yankees might see him as a guy who can be stable in the rotation. Kluber is a wild card to me.

The former Cy Young winner is just a couple of years removed from being one of baseball’s best. However, injuries have seen him pitch only 36.2 innings in two seasons. If the Yankees believe they can recapture some of his best stuff, I can see them bringing him in.

Either way, I expect the Yankees to add a starter this offseason not named Masahiro Tanaka. Even if they bring Tanaka back, I think Cashman will try to add another rotation option on the cheap end. I do not see them trying to go fully young with Garcia and Schmidt.

Is Archie Bradley on the New York Yankees’ radar?

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New York Yankees, Archie Bradley

Tender day has come and gone in Major League Baseball. The New York Yankees ended up deciding to tender Gary Sanchez a contract yesterday which was the biggest question mark around the ballclub yesterday.

However, the Yankees did non-tender one player. That player would be reliever Jonathan Holder. Holder has been very up and down for the Yankees during his tenure with the ballclub. With Holder out of the picture, the Yankees have a spot open in their bullpen.

During tender day, we saw a lot of quality players get released. More than normal due to the amount of money that teams lost last year due to the pandemic shortened season. One of those players was reliever, Archie Bradley.

Bradley was non-tendered by the Reds yesterday making him a free agent. Archie Bradley is a very good reliever. Over the past few years with Arizona and Cincinnati he’s been terrific never having an ERA above 4.

Since 2017, Bradley has posted the following ERAs: 1.73, 3.64, 3.52, 2.95. He’s a reliever that the Yankees have actually been interested in before. At the trade deadline of 2019, the Yankees made an attempt to acquire Bradley and Robbie Ray from Arizona.

Will the Yankees make the move?

The Yankees have been interested in Archie Bradley before. There’s a lot to like about Bradley as a reliever and he would be a welcomed addition to the stable that the Yankees are putting together.

Right now, the bombers focus remains on resigning DJ LeMahieu. That is their priority number one. While their rotation is still in question, it doesn’t appear that the team is poised to make a big splash for a starting pitcher this offseason.

That being said, I can see them trying to upgrade the bullpen a little. Non-tendering Jonathan Holder is a part of that plan for the New York Yankees. If you can replace Holder with Archie Bradley, you’ve hit a home run.

Now, with the importance of good arms in the bullpen, Bradley is going to have a number of suitors. He’s not going to come cheap for whoever signs him. That said, the Yankees let Holder go and Tommy Kahnle is gone. There is room for Bradley in the Bronx bullpen.

Of course, the Yankees could use internal options in order to save a little more money. That is entirely possible, however, don’t be shocked if you start to hear the Yankees tied to the free agency of Archie Bradley.

Could the New York Yankees and Cubs make a big deal this offseason?

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New York Yankees, Yankees, Brian Cashman

Many in baseball have been anxious about this unique offseason. There are so many things up in the air and the New York Yankees have been quiet so far which has fans guessing on what the bombers are doing at the moment.

From all indications, the Yankees are focused on resigning DJ LeMahieu. I was tipped off recently that the two sides were progressing towards a reunion, however, it’s still fluid with plenty of other bidders in the race.

The Yankees view DJ LeMahieu as the key to their offseason. If they resign LeMahieu, they have a general idea on where they want to go. You also have to imagine that they have a backup plan if they can’t bring him back.

There have been a lot of rumors out there regarding the Yankees and their interest on the trade market. One of the names that has been thrown around is the Indians’ All-Star shortstop, Francisco Lindor. 

There has been talked that the team has kicked the tires on a few other fronts. However, there’s one team that I’m thinking of that hasn’t been mentioned a ton with the Yankees as of yet. That team is the Chicago Cubs.

Cubs looking to sell?

The Cubs are going through a transition at the moment. Theo Epstein just stepped down and Jed Hoyer has taken over the team. There has also been talk that the Cubs are going to look to potentially be sellers this offseason.

They have a number of pieces to potentially trade including: Kris Bryant, Javier Baez, Wilson Contreras, Kyle Hendricks, Anthony Rizzo, and Kyle Schwarber. At this point, Bryant and Schwarber seem to be the most likely to move, although all could be on the table.

The Yankees and the Cubs have history when it comes to big deals. The Yankees traded away Aroldis Chapman a few years ago to the Cubs which netted them Gleyber Torres. One of the better moves Cashman has made during his time as GM in my opinion.

Who could the Yankees target?

If the Yankees are interested, who should they call about? To me, the two most obvious choices would be Kyle Hendricks and Wilson Contreras. Hendricks is one of the more reliable starters in the NL while Contreras is one of the best catchers in baseball.

Both of those spots are obvious areas of weakness for the Yankees currently. We’ve seen and heard about the Yankees current dilemma with Gary Sanchez. They are still trying to decide what to do with him at the moment.

Another option could be Javier Baez. The former NL MVP runner-up is scheduled to become a free agent after next season just like Lindor. If the Yankees don’t land LeMahieu, perhaps they could work out a deal for Baez as their SS for the future.

There are a lot of possibilities and again, a lot will be driven by what happens with DJ LeMahieu. There’s no real smoke between the clubs right now, but don’t be shocked if you hear about the Yankees and Cubs chatting at some point this offseason.

The New York Yankees and DJ LeMahieu making progress in talks (Source)

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New York Yankees, DJ LeMahieu

The New York Yankees are working hard to bring back their all-star second baseman. I was told this morning from a source within baseball that the bombers and DJ LeMahieu are making progress on a potential deal.

If the deal were to work out between the Yankees and LeMahieu, the deal would likely be for four years. Financially, the deal would sit between $21-23 million per year with a potential vesting option based on performance for a fifth year.

I will caution readers that the information I received this morning should not signal that a deal is done. As Andy Martino pointed out, there are plenty of suitors for DJ LeMahieu. The Yankees are not alone in their pursuit for the MVP candidate.

However, the bombers have a lot going for them in this instance. The fact is that DJ LeMahieu wants to stay with the Yankees. He really has enjoyed the last couple of seasons with the team, and he wants to continue chasing a title in New York.

The Yankees also want to keep DJ LeMahieu and are willing to do what it takes to get the deal done. Resigning LeMahieu has become the bombers top priority of the offseason and the pursuit will shape what actions they take throughout the winter.

Also, I realize that I don’t have a blue checkmark on Twitter so many might be asking the validity of this information. I will tell you, that the same guy who told me this information gave me the Zack Wheeler – Phillies news before the news broke nationally.

Will the Yankees keep their man?

By all accounts, the deal just makes sense on all fronts. LeMahieu wants to stay in New York and the Yankees want him back. He means so much to this team in so many different ways.

For years, this team has struggled with strikeouts and struggled defensively. Well, on both of those fronts, you can’t get much better than DJ LeMahieu. That is why the Yankees have made it their priority to get this deal done.

The last message I received this morning is that the talks were entering the red zone, but not yet close to the end zone. Things can always change and there are a lot of suitors who might blow LeMahieu out of the water with an insane deal.

That is not my expectation or the expectation of the people I’ve chatted with. No timetable on when the deal will likely get done, but there is reason to feel optimistic if you’re a fan of DJ LeMahieu staying in New York. Time will tell.

Argument against the New York Yankees acquiring Francisco Lindor

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New York yankees, Francisco Lindor

The New York Yankees have one of the best players in baseball at the top of their offseason wishlist. All-Star shortstop, Francisco Lindor, is on the trading block with the Cleveland Indians wanting to trim payroll before next season.

Lindor is one of the superstars of baseball. He’s incredible defensively, he’s a switch hitter who hits for average and power from both sides. On top of that, he’s got one of the most glowing personalities in all of baseball.

If you were going to build your team around anyone, Lindor would be a great option. Thus you can see the reason why the Yankees are so interested in Lindor. The Yankees are facing an interesting decision with their MVP contending second baseman, DJ LeMahieu.

The bombers would love to have LeMahieu back, but the fact that he’s in his early 30s give the Yankees pause on extending him long-term. Talk is that his agent is seeking a five year deal while the Yankees are wanting to stay in the three to four year range.

To complicate matters more, the bombers have a decision to make on Gleyber Torres. Torres is one of the young stars for the Yankees, however, last year proved that he might not be cut out to play shortstop at the major league level.

Torres looks much more comfortable at second base which is why the Yankees are kicking the tires on shortstops. I really would love for them to acquire Francisco Lindor, however, they should not overextend themselves to do it.

Argument against the Yankees making the deal

Everything I said above about Francisco Lindor is absolutely true. He’s a stud and if the Yankees acquired him and extended him long-term, I would be through the roof. However, they should tread very carefully here.

For one, Lindor is not a need at the moment. The bombers could easily bring back DJ LeMahieu and continue to work on Torres’ defense at shortstop. Maybe he can turn things around with time and more reps at the position.

This option would cost the Yankees nothing in terms of prospect capital. However, there is another big reason why the bombers should avoid going all out for Lindor in a trade this offseason.

That reason is that the market is flooded next year with All-Star shortstops. The list of shortstops available include: Lindor, Javier Baez, Carlos Correa, Trevor Story, and Corey Seager.

Anyone of those would be welcomed additions to the Bronx. I know the Yankees are in a win-now mode, however, that market next year is also reason for them to pause on giving LeMahieu his long-term deal.

The Yankees are looking to trim payroll this year. Cashman and the front office could take the position of looking to sign someone at shortstop like Andrelton Simmons or Didi Gregorious for one year to gap to the free agent class of next year where they have their pick of All-Stars.

Going this way would also not cost the Yankees anything but money. MLB Network was suggesting the Yankees trade Clint Frazier, Miguel Andujar, and two top pitching prospects to acquire Lindor.

I love Franky Smiles, but with the market of 2022 and LeMahieu out there, I wouldn’t do that deal. Cashman definitely should be in on the talks for Lindor, but if the tag is too steep, it’s perfectly fine to walk away from the table.

Brewers listening to offers on Josh Hader; Will the New York Yankees pursue?

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New York Yankees, Josha Hader

If there’s one thing we know about the New York Yankees it’s that they love to stack their bullpen. The bombers have boasted one of the best bullpens in baseball over the last few seasons. However, that’s gotten them no where.

Last year, the Yankees were hurt by the loss of Tommy Kahnle and the poor performance of Adam Ottavino. Zack Britton and Chad Green had very good years overall for the Bombers. Aroldis Chapman was solid as well, but definitely appeared shaky at times.

Last year after the Yankees signed Gerrit Cole, there were rumors circulating around the bombers being interested in Josh Hader. Hader is a two-time Hoffman award winner and widely considered one of the best arms in the game.

The Brewers were interested in fielding offers, but nothing ever got close. However, the Yankees were in on those talks for Hader. Well, it’s the offseason again, and the Brewers are once again interested in dealing their star reliever.

Robert Murray of Fansided reported today that the Brewers to intend on fielding offers for Josh Hader. The Brewers are looking for some offensive help in the package that they could get back for Hader.

Will the Yankees make an offer?

If Hader can be had for a reasonable price, I would fully expect the Yankees to be in on the talks. We have already heard that the Yankees are unlikely to spend the money to make drastic upgrades to the starting rotation.

If they are not going to make big upgrades with the rotation, they can always fall back on upgrading the bullpen. Hader would be a dynamite addition to the Yankees bullpen that already includes Chapman, Britton, and Green.

Those four alone would cause massive problems for anyone that would run into the Yankees. Adam Ottavino has the chance to bounce back as a fifth option, but there’s already been rumors around the Yankees looking to unload his contract.

Getting Hader would not come cheap for the Yankees. If I was to guess, Miguel Andujar would likely be the centerpiece of a deal. Clint Frazier is virtually untouchable after securing the left field starting job, but Andujar has no place on the roster. 

Another name that could be in the talks is Gary Sanchez. The bombers have been in talks with Yadier Molina which signals that they might be ready to move on from Sanchez. Perhaps the Brewers would be interested in trying to revive Gary Sanchez.

I would say that a deal between the two is not likely at the moment given Cashman’s stingyness when it comes to deals and the Brewers asking price. However, given the previous interest, I would fully expect the Yankees to be involved in talks.