Once again, there are high expectations for the New York Yankees in free agency. Fans want the team to sign both Stephen Strasburg and Gerrit Cole. However, the Yankees only really need to sign one of them. Zack Wheeler and Madison Bumgarner could be potential options of the team can’t sign Strasburg or Cole.
Why Only One?
There are two main factors why the Yankees should only sign one starting pitcher, and they are roster space and money.
The Yankees have four definitive starters in James Paxton, Masahiro Tanaka, Luis Severino, and JA Happ. Jordan Montgomery could come into play, but he will likely become the long reliever. I guess you could throw Domingo German into the mix, but it’s unclear if and when he will play again due to his suspension for domestic abuse.
Since a team only needs five starters, you keep the four listed above and sign Cole or Strasburg. It doesn’t matter to me on which they sign, since both are righties in the prime of their career. Montgomery could be the “sixth starter” when there are injuries, and be the long reliever otherwise. The team could look into trading Domingo German if and when he is reinstated.
The other factor is the cost.
If the Yankees signed Cole and Strasburg, they would have little to no money left and would risk exceeding into the luxury tax to fulfill other needs.
The team could pursue Anthony Rendon and Mike Moustakas in free agency, along with a few middle relievers. The team wants to fill all needs and have some money left over for in-season signings and for emergencies.
It would be better off if the yankees only signed one starting pitcher to save money and to continue to use current resources.
The New York Yankees and general manager Brian Cashman has already made it clear that they aren’t holding back this offseason and are going to pursue the top free agents in terms of pitching. The top options are Gerrit Cole, Madison Bumgarner, and Stephen Strausburg.
Don’t get me wrong, any of these guys being added to the Yankee rotation would be a blessing. However, Strasburg seems like the best option for the Yankees.
After opting out of his contract with the Washington Nationals, Strasburg is coming off a wild 2019 season after winning the World Series and is most likely looking for a big contract probably around nine figures. Good news for the Yankees, they can pretty much afford any contract.
Finishing with an 18-6 record on the year and credited to a strong 3.32 ERA, Strasburg is everything the Yankees want in a pitcher. He hasn’t been the flame-throwing starter ever since he got Tommy John surgery but still works his fastball in the mid-90s while flashing a curveball, change, sinker, and a slider.
Another appealing thing about Strasburg is he’s done good work in the postseason, credited to a 1.46 ERA and a 6-2 record. Not to mention, he was named 2019 World Series MVP.
In my opinion, I believe Strasburg would make a good fit in pinstripes. The Yankees have everything a premier pitcher could want: playoff contenders, the ability to pay, etc.
The only negative thing I can see the Yankees hesitating on is Strasburg’s injury history. After last season, the Yankees are definitely going to want to steer clear of any potential injury barriers. Strasburg has dealt with some arm trouble, but ever since his surgery, he’s been a consistent dominant pitcher.
With the Yankees dumping $26 million in salary next season after cutting Jacoby Ellsbury, their mentality towards splashing big-money on a premium starting pitcher could be battered. Factor in the Giancarlo Stanton contract and his injury-plagued 2019 season and unloading $30 million for an option like Gerrit Cole begins to seem like a bad idea.
However, Cole’s injury history is thin, and signing him would immediately bolster the starting pitching rotation and make them one of the best in baseball. General manager Brian Cashman shouldn’t be worried about the luxury tax if he’s keen on competing for a championship next season.
However, owner Hal Steinbrenner was quick to announce the fact that the starting rotation is established, despite several players coming off injuries being featured next season. Luis Severino started only five games last season while Jordan Montgomery missed the entire campaign, failing to leave any significant mark.
The Yankees need to temper their expectation and aim high:
Expecting them to return and be effective is optimistic, at least in Montgomery’s case. In his three seasons, though, Monty has earned two sub-4.00 ERAs, which provides excitement. The Yankees shouldn’t shy away from adding a star pitcher at the expense of Montgomery’s return, and considering CC Sabathia’s retirement, he will essentially be filling that hole.
Another factor is the youngsters — Michael King and Deivi Garcia, who are both fantastic pitchers with minimal to no Major League experience. We can expect Cashman to justify the rotation with quality youth, an unproven commodity at this point. Again, it leads us back to a sure-fire decision to sign Cole or Stephen Strasburg.
The price differential will be a few million, but Cole’s impressive health history should make him worth every penny, and considering his dominance in every phase of the game. Slotting him in at ace and having James Paxton and Luis Severino close behind would give the Bombers a fantastic opportunity to make a run at the 2020 World Series, and they wouldn’t even have to cheat to do it.
There are a handful of big free agents on the market this winter, and many of them that the New York Yankees would love to sign.
Instead of waiting to the later part of winter to make moves, the Yankees should start taking serious action NOW. With everybody wrapped up in the Astros cheating allegations, there is no better time to recruit free agents and give them offers in pretty lowkey way.
They could try to keep as quiet as possible, but if information leaks out about them making early moves, then it would quickly put pressure on other teams to match and exceed the Yankees offers.
The first order of business would be retaining Brett Gardner and figuring out the whole outfield situation. If they have interest in resigning Cameron Maybin, they could probably hold off a bit on him. He likely won’t sign a contract until February.
Once they get Gardner locked up, it would be time to decide who they are going to offer on. I would love to see them get Anthony Rendon, but the likelihood of him leaving the Nationals is slim to none. So, they should try and make quick offers on Gerrit Cole and Stephen Strasburg.
I hope that Brian Cashman doesn’t try to be cheap again and lowball them. He needs to offer both pitchers solid contracts early into free agency. It puts so much pressure on other teams to match, and it would be very tempting for them to sign when they see a huge offer.
All I’m saying is that if the Yankees start making offers early into the offseason, they may have a better chance to sign the top free agents.
When speaking about the potential of signing a big-name free agent pitcher, Yankees general manager Brian Cashman favored the word “culture.” The idea of culture is always the Yankees’ way of lowballing free agent prospects, attempting to sell them on the perennial success of the organization and not the zero’s at the end of the contract.
However, there will be plenty of competition, which will drive up the price for Cole and Strasburg. Cashman will have to be comfortable pushing past the luxury tax if he wishes to grab a top arm to bolster the starting pitching rotation, something he’s been cautious about in recent years.
The Yankees are making early moves:
“It’s so early in the process in my conversations with the personnel,’’ Cashman said. “Clearly, the bigger the name — and they’ve earned the right — the bigger the contract, the bigger the expectation, the bigger the money. There’s gonna be opportunities for some people to take advantage of great performances in this marketplace. They’ve earned that right.”
The Yankees have already talked with Cole and Strasburg’s agent, Scott Boras, in an attempt to gauge their price-tags. It’s expected that Cole will land over $200 million in a multi-year deal while Strasburg lands a bit lower.
“We’re just gonna put our best foot forward, making sure we can share who we are and what we represent,’’ Cashman said Thursday. “Not just with the contract and the offer. We’ll try to make sure they understand what our culture is — along with a winning contract offer to make sure to try to win the day. Even that doesn’t guarantee anything.”
Investing that much money into a starter requires guaranteed success. High-end outings, multiple innings, the ability to bounce back, rack up strikeouts, and perform during the postseason are all traits the Yankees need to add to their rotation. The return of Luis Severino and Jordan Montgomery should assist in this facet, but Cashman is reportedly interested in strengthening the bullpen, which could be a deterrent to helping the starters.
The Yankees already have Severino, Montgomery, Paxton, Masahiro Tanaka, Domingo Geman, and other youth options to utilize in 2020, but adding a top gun would undoubtedly make a difference. It all boils down to how much Cashman is willing to spend.
These are all three big names in the Major Leagues who are most likely looking for lengthy and expensive contracts. Even though the Yankees can pretty much afford anyone, that doesn’t mean they’ll definitely sign with the Yanks.
Here are other available pitchers on the free-agent market that the Yankees should consider if they don’t land one of those three guys.
Zack Wheeler
Known for his high-heat, Zack Wheeler is someone who can give the Yankees exactly what they need. Behind the Yankee offense, this duo could be something special. After posting a 3.96 ERA in 31 starts, the Yankees could grab him for a contract in their favor.
Wheeler has an arsenal of pitches, throwing a four-seam fastball, slider, curve, chance, and splitter. Something else attractive about Wheeler is he consistently goes the distance, usually leaving the game after giving seven innings. With how to dominate the Yankee bullpen is, this is something the New York Yankees need in their starting rotation.
Wade Miley
Someone who sorta flew under the radar this past season, Wade Miley had a great year with the Houston Astros. In 33 games started, Miley posted a 14-6 record with the World Series runner-ups.
Miley is an enticing player because he’s one of the few MLB starters who doesn’t rely on the fastball. He uses a cutter and a changeup as his primary pitches while working in a fastball with a curve and slider.
NEW YORK YANKEES – The Nationals hoisting the Commissioners Trophy is now a distant memory to every other team in baseball. Organizations across the league are getting ready to cast their nets to try and catch the biggest whales swimming in this year’s free-agent market. Gerrit Cole, Stephen Strasberg, and Anthony Rendon will be the most targeted players, and very deservingly so.
Yankee fans are tired of getting trolled by the Houston Astros. They have now eliminated New York from postseason play three times in the past five years. The fans don’t miss a beat and can pinpoint every mistake that is made. The mismanagement of pitchers, and every Yankee batter trying to go deep, rather than play small ball, was excruciating to watch. In Game Two of the ALCS, Happ was the wrong choice to face Correa, this was a call that left us scratching our heads, as well as questioning Boone’s decision-making skills. The Yankees left countless runners on base all series long, and at times looked like they were staring into headlights. They never drew blood and became the sharks they were meant to be. The Yankees have to dive into the pool of this offseason with confidence and secure the bag for next season.
Cashman has said he will pursuit Cole, he is either going all in or preparing to make the biggest bluff in history. Cole has a strong case to win this year’s American League Cy Young, he led Major League Baseball in strikeouts, finished second in wins, and third for lowest earned run average. His dominance and command on the mound truly makes him a sought after Ace. The World Series MVP Stephen Strasberg shined brighter than the lights of Broadway, and Yankee fans would love to see him don the Pinstripes.
Anthony Rendon isn’t just a terminator at the plate, he loves to flash the leather and show off his cannon of an arm. With the Bombers having depth at third, it would make sense to sign Rendon and have him DH on rest days or every other series.
Oct 23, 2019; Houston, TX, USA; Washington Nationals starting pitcher Stephen Strasburg (37) throws against the Houston Astros during the second inning of game two of the 2019 World Series at Minute Maid Park. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
Yankee fans have to hope for the best and prepare for the worst. There are plenty of free agents out there who, if signed, could ignite and surprise any fan base. Hyun-Jin Ryu collected fourteen wins for the Dodgers, and only suffered five losses on the season. He also led the majors with the lowest earned run average for the second straight year.
With the dangerous offensive unit, the Yanks have, starting arms like Porcello, Ordirizzi, Teheran, Wheeler, Hamels, and Wacha could win fifteen games, and come at a cheaper price than the hardware winners. Edwin Encarnacion has gone to find another perch to stand on, and with DiDi and Gardner potentially testing the open waters of free agency, the Yanks will have to find the correct replacements while keeping the luxury tax in mind.
Oct 15, 2019; Washington, DC, USA; Washington Nationals third baseman Anthony Rendon (6) singles during the second inning in game four of the 2019 NLCS playoff baseball series against the St. Louis Cardinals at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
Either way, Yankees General Manager Brian Cashman will be under a magnifying glass, held by the Yankee Faithful. The DJ LeMahieu signing was quite possibly, the greatest Yankee signing in the last thirty years. Fans can only hope, that there will be more signings like that during this Free Agency season. If history has taught us anything, it’s that signings like A-Rod, Ellsbury, and Giambi, all have to be a thing of the past. The Yankees front office has to start playing chess, rather than their usual game of checkers, and break down the quality of a player, before offering a max deal of great quantity. Cashman knows if he makes the wrong decision or comes up short, the Empire will be ready to storm the Castle. The addition of Pitching Coach Matt Blake is just the start, the rest of the puzzle must be solved in order for the Yankees to be under the lights and on the field during next year’s Fall Classic. The chase for twenty-eight starts now.
When the New York Yankees lost Domingo German to a domestic violence case before the start of the postseason, most believed it would affect the team’s efficiency exponentially. his loss undoubtedly hurt the overall success the Yankees had in the playoffs, especially after falling to the Houston Astros in the ALCS.
German is now entering the final stages of his case hearing, and reports have indicated that the consequence of his actions won’t be as significant as Astros’ Roberto Osuna. He served a 75-game suspension last year for his actions, and German’s serving of nine games at the end of the season and postseason play will likely play a part in his impending suspension.
However, the decision could play a part in the Yankees approach towards the starting pitching rotation this offseason. With premium free agents like Gerrit Cole and Stephen Strasburg available to sign, general manager Brian Cashman could pursue their talents if German is set to miss a substantial portion of the season.
Owner Hal Steinbrenner and Cashman were both reluctant to admit their starting pitching unit could use reinforcements, especially with the retiring of CC Sabathia. Steinbrenner blamed the lack of run production for the Bombers’ struggles in the ALCS. A fair justification of the loss, but the rotation could need an upgrade, despite the availability of several quality youth options.
The Yankees have options if they don’t sign a top-level pitcher:
Having Luis Severino and Jordan Montgomery back will provide a spark, and the rising of Michael King and Deivi Garcia could offer support as well. The Yankees have plenty of quality to succeed next season, but an arm like Cole or Strasburg’s offers far more than any pitchers on the team currently. Both will be seeking contracts worth more than $25 million per season, with Cole set to break $30 million, which will be the reservation for the Yankees brass.
If they’re willing to spend big-money, signing Cole should be the priority, considering his consistent health and production on the mound.
While owner Hal Steinbrenner and general manager Brian Cashman publically advocated for the current grouping of starting pitchers on the New York Yankees, the reality is, adding a player like Gerrit Cole or Stephen Strasburg would be significant.
“For the most part, I think our starting pitching was good this year,’’ Steinbrenner said. “Even missing [Luis] Severino and [Jordan] Montgomery [for most or all of the season due to injuries].”
Severino returned after missing nearly the entire 2019 campaign to pitch in three games, earning a 1.50 ERA. While those numbers offer a very minimal sample size, it’s important to note that he’s a premium quality pitcher when healthy and can be the ace in the rotation.
However, as we’ve seen, having just one top-level pitcher isn’t enough to win a World Series. The Yankees do have James Paxton, who was the only starter with a sub 4.00 ERA (minimum ten games).
Paxton dominated in the postseason as well, holding a 3.46 ERA over 13.0 innings. He proved that he can be an excellent option for the Bombers and perform in clutch situations, but the Canadain arm isn’t the reason the Yankees won’t go out and sign Cole or Strasburg.
What will keep the New York Yankees from investing in a big-name free agent starter?
Jordan Montgomery.
Manager Aaron Boone and Cashman have incredibly high hopes for Montgomery, a player who hasn’t had a good season in two years but has shown quality stuff on the mound. In 2017, he finished the season with a 3.88 ERA, striking out 144 batters and allowing 21 homers. The Yankees are excited to have him healthy going into 2020 finally, and his injection in the starting rotation will supplement the loss of CC Sabathia.
I believe the Yankees should pursue one of the top pitchers on the free-agent market, considering the value they bring to the team. Specifically, Cole is the better all-around arm, considering his consistent health and numbers. He will undoubtedly earn more than Strasburg, but if the margin isn’t exponential, signing him is the better move. Also, it would be the Yankees instant World Series contenders next season.
With Houston Astros ace Gerrit Cole preparing to enter free agency as the best pitcher in baseball, the New York Yankees will have to make a decision. Is signing a top-level starting pitcher worth the monetary investment?
Considering they were without Luis Severino and Jordan Montgomery for a majority of the 2019 season, it’s fair to argue they don’t need to inject more talent into the rotation. Losing CC Sabathia, however, will require replacement, but supplementing his loss with Cole might be excessive and expensive.
However, the Yankees and general manager Brian Cashman could enter the Stephen Strasburg sweepstakes after he opted out of his contract with $100 million on the table. He will look to increase his earnings this offseason, and earning upwards of $25 million is possible given the price-tag currently sitting on Cole’s head.
The biggest concern regarding Strasburg is his health. Staying on the field has been difficult for the dominant pitcher, but his stellar 2019 campaign where he earned a 3.32 ERA over 209 innings pitched, the most in his career, proves he can handle a full workload. At 31 years old, there is still a ton of tread left on his tires, so if the Bombers are keen on bringing in a bonafide ace, Strasburg fits the fit.
The issue boils down to money, and Cashman has been hesitant to invest in big-money pitchers in recent years. If the difference between signing Cole and Strasburg is $7-10 million, I imagine they would go for Cole, considering his excellent health and dominance in every facet of the game.
The New York Yankees would gain a postseason god in Strasburg:
Playoff Strasburg is even better than regular season Strasburg, which could be a huge advantage in pursuing the Nationals ace. This past postseason, Stephen threw 28 innings, striking out 40 batters, and walked just two, one of which was intentional. His 1.96 ERA and 1.93 FIP shined bright over is opponents, and he rightfully earned the applause. His FIP ranks as one of the best in history with pitchers starting at least three games and pitching 25 innings, per Fangraphs.
While it’s a long shot, the Yankees sign either Strasburg or Cole, it’s important to highlight their strengths and understand why either would fit in the Bronx.
