The New York Yankees have had an oddly quiet offseason. Trent Grisham signed the qualifying offer, and they brought back Cody Bellinger on a big-money contract to reunite their elite outfield. They traded for Ryan Weathers, but many thought they would trade for another pitcher before spring. But with Freddy Peralta gone, the Yankees should sign Nick Martinez in free agency to finish the offseason.
The Yankees have a great rotation when everyone is healthy. The problem they face is that they will be without two of their top three starters at the start of the season. Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodon are both dealing with elbow injuries and won't be ready for Opening Day. Max Fried and Cam Schlittler are great, but they will need support to get the Bombers through the spring.
That put the Yankees firmly in the conversation for the top pitching trade targets of the winter. But in a matter of days, Freddy Peralta went to the New York Mets, and Mackenzie Gore was dealt to the Texas Rangers. That took two of the three big targets off the board and should push the Bombers to free agency, considering the price the Detroit Tigers are asking for Tarik Skubal, which included Ben Rice and Schlittler.
The Yankees should make a run at Nick Martinez in free agency after his run with the Cincinnati Reds. He played college baseball at nearby Fordham University and has some solid stats throughout his career. Martinez had an ugly 4.45 ERA last season, but was great when he came out of the bullpen. He would only need to make a few starts until Cole came back, at which point he could be a great bullpen piece.
Martinez would be on an inexpensive one-year contract, making him a solid fit for the Yankees. But where else could they land to fill their starting pitcher hole?
The Yankees must sign a pitcher in free agency
With the trade market dried up, the Yankees need to head to free agency to fill out their rotation. If Martinez's numbers scare them off, a few pitchers could be coming to The Bronx on one-year deals. The big name would be Justin Verlander, who will be 43 years old on Opening Day.
Verlander has spent much of his career terrorizing the Yankees on American League contenders. He spent the whole year in the National League last year and continued his Hall of Fame career. He posted a 3.85 ERA in 29 starts for the middling Giants, but only managed a 4-11 record. Verlander's free agency has been quiet, which makes this a perfect opportunity to swoop in.
As of now, the Yankees have four pitchers under the age of 28 behind Fried in their rotation. While that can be a good thing long-term, they need a veteran to start the season with reliable starts. Verlander and Martinez should both be signing one-year contracts for 2026, and the Yankees should be at the front of the line to sign one of them.
The Yankees are bringing back much of the same team they had in 2025. Their 94-68 record was tied for the best in the American League, but the Toronto Blue Jays evaporated them in the ALDS. Their only World Series appearance in the Aaron Judge era came in the one season Juan Soto was in The Bronx. They need to kill that stat, and pitching will be the reason why.
In the postseason, Cole, Rodon, and Fried will be an elite three-headed monster. Cole missed all of last season, so he could not piggyback on Fried's fourth-place Cy Young finish. But before Cole and Rodon come back, they must find a veteran pitcher to bridge the gap.
