The New York Yankees had a different problem prior to the offseason from what they have now. Initially, the Bronx Bombers were looking to bolster their offense. They had a real lack of stars in their outfield. Moreover, the NY side suffered because of a long Injured List. Later, the Pinstripes ended up with the second-worst batting average in the 2023 season. On top of that, they could not make the postseason. Anyhow, the NY side had real depth in the bullpen. However, to secure the signings of Soto, Verdugo, and other outfielders, the Yankees traded a lot of pitchers and catchers.
Suddenly, the Pinstripes find themselves in a worse pitching situation. Initially, Brian Cashman mentioned the front office was looking for a star pitcher along with a couple of star lefty outfielders. They must be happy with the lefty hitters they signed this offseason. But what about the star pitcher? The NY side lost Yoshinobu Yamamoto to the Los Angeles Dodgers. Currently, Josh Hader is a viable trade option for the Bronx Bombers.
Can Yankees Land Josh Hader This Offseason?
As per Jim Bowden of CBS Sports, free agent Josh Hader has a fair share of top suitors. Moreover, Hader is looking for a contract bigger than Edwin Diaz. Hence, the desired contract would be somewhere around $100 million in five years. But if he gets a deal like that, then he would be the highest-paid reliever in Major League Baseball. However, up until this point, no team has gone close to that offer. But Bowden says the NY Yankees are in line to land a deal with Josh Hader. Other teams who are also in line are the Los Angeles Dodgers and also the Texas Rangers.
Moreover, Bowden points out that these three teams are actually looking for a starting pitcher rather than a closer. However, if any of these teams fall short of landing their desired choices, they can pivot to Josh Hader. Last season, this reliever played for the San Diego Padres. Previously, in 2022, Hader was part of the Milwaukee Brewers. Anyway, the Dodgers can again steal another viable option for the Yankees. The LA franchise is really becoming the new Evil Empire in town. But that’s hurting the original Evil Empire the most.
Bronx Getting Stronger In Their Outfield But Weaker In Their Bullpen
Clearly, the NY side put too much pressure on their captain. When Aaron Judge missed around 36 games owing to a toe injury, the Yankees lost balance. That really cost them the season. Hence, the Bronx Bombers were looking for another superstar outfielder who could take some load off Judge. Moreover, they needed somebody who was a lefty slugger.
Finally, the Bronx got the best of the best, Juan Soto from the San Diego Padres. Before landing the lefty superstar outfielder from the Padres, the Boston Red Sox traded Alex Verdugo to the 27-time champions. As a result, at present, the Yankees look solid from their outfield lineup. However, they might be lacking at present, where they had strength prior to the offseason. And that’s their bullpen.
