Subscribe
Follow Us
The Yankees missed out on their top free agency target when Japanese star pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Yamamoto has all the makings of an elite pitcher, and signing him became all the more important when Brian Cashman traded away several key components of the Yankees pitching staff in order to acquire star slugger Juan Soto. Trading for Soto was absolutely the right move, even at the price the Yankees paid to bring Soto to New York. Unfortunately, it also meant that adding more pitchers became a need, rather than a want.
The Yankees need to strengthen their pitching staff
The Yankees took a major step towards improving their offense by bringing Soto aboard. If they want to contend in 2023, though, they must replenish their starting rotation. Yamamoto would have slotted in perfectly as the number two starter behind Gerrit Cole, fitting this need like a glove. Unfortunately for the Bombers, Yamamoto signed with the Dodgers. This leaves a significant hole in the Yankees’ rotation, and they must take steps to address this issue before it potentially derails their season.
Free agency or the trade market?
The Yankees have two primary avenues to upgrade their pitching staff. They can either pay big bucks to sign a free agent, or surrender precious prospect capital to trade for another team’s starter.
There are multiple options for either avenue, but they each have varying levels of risk. Each of the trade options would require the Yankees parting with almost all of their remaining premier prospects, and most of these players are close to free agency anyways. Spending large money on a free agent contract can backfire by hamstringing the team’s ability to sign future free agents or re-sign their own star players.
Milwaukee’s ace could be on the move this offseason
The Milwaukee Brewers are a long way from contending for championships, and they do not have the funds to re-sign ace Corbin Burnes to a long-term deal. With one year left on his deal, the Brewers will be motivated to move Burnes this offseason before they end up losing him for nothing in free agency.
This could slightly lower the prospect cost of trading for Burnes, and the Yankees at minimum should be able to acquire him without giving up the package that an ace level pitcher typically commands.
Other options
There are other available options as well. Shane Bieber is a trade option, while Blake Snell and Jordan Montgomery are free agents.
Montgomery had an incredibly well-timed breakout season, and will likely command a contract north of $150 million. It is possible that the record-breaking nature of Yamamoto’s deal resets the market and pushes up the cost for other players. This could put Montgomery closer to $200 million, although it is unlikely the southpaw will exceed that figure.
Article Continues Below
Blake Snell will likely be the most expensive remaining free agent on the market, but he is a unique pitcher that is a true boom-or-bust player. When Snell is on, he’s arguably every bit as good as Gerrit Cole. However, when he’s off, he struggles immensely. He is wild and gives up too many walks, and he has also been hurt by the home run ball. His struggles to keep the baseball in the park could be amplified by the short right field porch in Yankee Stadium.
Snell also struggles to get through six innings consistently, which can be taxing on a team’s bullpen. Although the Yankees may be uniquely suited to offset this issue due to their bullpen often being a strength, Snell’s walk rate and propensity to give up the long ball could lead to whoever signs him quickly regretting it. That team would then be stuck with a long-term albatross on their books.
Corbin Burnes is the best option
Despite the prospect cost, pursuing Corbin Burnes is the best path forward the Yankees should take.
Burnes is an ace level pitcher, he only has one year left before heading into free agency, and the Brewers will be motivated to move him before they lose him for nothing. These factors combine to make it likely that he can be acquired for a fairly reasonable amount of prospect capital.
It will probably cost more than Soto, and likely will require giving up at least two of the Yankees’ upper tier prospects. These prospects could include Spencer Jones, Roderick Arias, Clayton Beeter, Oswald Peraza, George Lombard Jr., Brandon Mayea or Everson Pereira.
Unfortunately for the Yankees, you have to give something in order to get something, and parting ways with two or even three players from that list is a reasonable ask from the Brewers’ side.
The Yankees should trade for Burnes and attempt to extend him
The Yankees should trade for Burnes to add a second ace that they can pair with Gerrit Cole. This duo could be dominant in the postseason. If Burnes plays well in New York, the Yankees should offer him a fair contract extension offer during the season. Even if he declines, having played in New York for a year gives the Yankees an advantage when Burnes becomes a free agent next offseason.
