The New York Yankees had good depth in their bullpen prior to this offseason. Very early on in the offseason, Brian Cashman mentioned that they were in the market for two lefty superstar sluggers and a starting pitcher. In the case of the outfielders they were looking for, the Bronx Bombers must be more than happy. However, the pitcher the Pinstripes had in mind was Yoshinobu Yamamoto. The NY side lost the Japanese ace pitcher to the modern-day Evil Empire, the Los Angeles Dodgers. It was a big blow to the offseason plans of the Yankees. Anyway, the offseason is not over yet.
They still have time, but not many high-profile pitchers are there for the Bronx Bombers to grab. However, the Yankees are desperate to sign a starting pitcher who fits well alongside Gerrit Cole. But the front office must keep in mind that they must push harder now to land a quality pitcher. The Bronx Bombers missed out on Yamamoto just for a deal worth $25 million extra and two years more. Hence, they must push harder for the pitchers remaining in free agency at present. The Yankees have some viable options to pick from this offseason, and they are:-
Corbin Burnes (Milwaukee Brewers) Is A Good Option For The Yankees
This Brewers ace pitcher is a jewel still available this offseason. He enjoyed three consecutive seasons with 200 strikeouts in each one. On top of that, he won back-to-back three All-Star selections. Corbin Burnes won the Cy Young Award in the NL in 2021. He has a pretty good curveball and a mid-90s cutter. Burnes can form a nice tandem with Gerrit Cole. Corbin’s story is pretty much like Juan Soto’s. He is a Scott Boras agent, as well as going to be a free agent at the end of the next season. As per Jeff Passan of ESPN, the chances of Burnes’ trade in the offseason are dwindling. But the Yankees are desperate to get the best option for a starter.
Shane Bieber (Cleveland Guardians): Another Good Option For Yankees
Similar to Corbin Burnes, Bieber will be a free agent too, after the 2024 season. He won the AL Cy Young Award in 2020. But Jeff Passan feels the Guardians won’t deal with Shane Bieber soon because they fancy their chances for contending. Bieber is 28 years old. His asking price is not that high. But he’s pretty injury-prone. And the last thing the Yankees would want is another injury-prone player. But if Bieber stays healthy, he will fit nicely with Gerrit Cole.
Dylan Cease (Chicago White Sox)
Dylan is 28 years old, too. As per Passan, the White Sox might trade this ace pitcher. He finished second in the 2022 voting for the AL Cy Young Award. Moreover, he posted 2.20 ERA and in 184 innings, got 227 strikeouts. But he had a pretty low 2023 season. Anyway, the two years of team control that’s left might appeal to the Bronx Bombers. Yankees GM signed Sonny Gray in 2017, Nathan Eovaldi in 2014, and James Paxton in 2018, hoping to get contributions for two playoff runs. Brian Cashman even signed Frankie Montas in 2022 for the same reason.
Jesus Luzardo (Miami Marlins)
Gradually, Luzardo is gaining demand after he quietly had a 208 strikeout season last year. Jesus Luzardo is just 26 years old. He can make the Yankees rotation very left-handed with the likes of Carlos Rodon and Nestor Cortes likely lined up together. Passan thinks the two NY sides to be a perfect fit for Jesus Luardo. But Jesus will be a free agent only in 2027, not before then. Who knows if the Marlins would like to trade him?