The New York Yankees’ probable pitching rotation for the 2024 MLB season contains Gerrit Cole, Carlos Rodon, Nestor Cortes, Michael King, and Clarke Schmidt. If Hal Steinbrenner pulls off a blockbuster move during free agency, Yoshinobu Yamamoto can replace Schmidt. Thus, the rotation seems locked for now.
However, the rotation construction won’t stop the Yankees from seeking pitching reinforcements during upcoming free agency. They will surely target a couple of bullpen pieces. Besides, the front office is apparently also mulling to retain in-house candidates. One controversial name has popped up in rumors, which took the fans by surprise.
Yankees Likely To Re-Sign Frankie Montas In Bullpen Role!
The New York Yankees saw a lot of potential in starting pitcher Frankie Montas when they traded him from the Oakland Athletics in 2022. However, shortly after the acquisition, Montas landed on IL with a shoulder injury. That injury did not only ruin the 2022 season but also ruled him out for the 2023 season as he went under the knife. Later, the pitcher dropped a bombshell while admitting that he wasn’t healthy at the time of the trade. However, Brian Cashman refused his claims, saying Montas did not convey his struggles to them during trade negotiations. The whole mess turned uglier as the pitcher headed down to a grueling rehab process. Montas understood that the only way he could re-earn the fans and franchise’s trust was by making a strong comeback. And Frankie Montas lived up to his promise.
Despite being originally ruled out of the season, the pitcher made a comeback in the second-last game against the Royals. He tossed 1.2 scoreless innings and impressed the skipper Aaron Boone, who highly ranked the pitcher’s resilience. Having said that, Montas is a free agent this off-season, and if the New York Post is to be believed, the Yankees are mulling to re-sign the pitcher, but on one condition. The Yanks want Montas to serve as a bullpen piece in 2024. They feel that longer stints on the mound may cause unnecessary stress on his injured shoulder. Thus, initially, Frankie can come out of the bullpen, and over the course of the season, he can stretch himself. Playing Montas as a reliever rather than a starter is a smart move from the Bombers because, at the end of the day, the pitcher is skilled enough to make a difference.
Yanks Make Roster Move As Players Elect Free Agency!
In other news, New York Yankees outrighted players Domingo German, Franchy Cordero, Billy McKinney, Jimmy Cordero, Matt Bowman, and Ryan Weber elected free agency on Monday. The Bombers placed them on waivers last week, and all six of them found no claimers. Thus, they declined the outright assignment and elected free agency.
With six vacant spots in the 40-man roster, the New York Yankees added catcher Carlos Narvaez to the list. It’s important to note that the team is rumored to trade catchers Kyle Higashioka and Ben Rortvedt this off-season. Thus, Narvaez’s addition could be a step in the same direction. The next few weeks are going to be crucial as far as the team’s roster is concerned.
