The New York Yankees had been looking for a dependable pitcher who could fit alongside Gerrit Cole since the start of the offseason. Initially, the NY side had plans to sign the Japanese ace pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto. He was their target for a long time. That’s why it hurt the Bronx Bombers real bad when the multiple-time Sawamura winner eventually signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers. It was a big blow to their plans for a starting pitcher alongside their ace, Gerrit Cole. But most of the offseason, the Yankees spent time on improving their outfield and offense. That’s why they sacrificed a lot of pitchers and catchers from their deep bullpen.
Later, they faced a worsening pitching situation. That’s why the Bronx Bombers signed the veteran pitcher Marcus Stroman for a two-year deal worth $37 million. Moreover, the former World Baseball Classic MVP would help in increasing the depth of their starting pitchers. But the Yankees had been looking for a more dependable pitcher like Blake Snell. However, even that deal is not seeing any fruition. Hence, the NY side was looking at other options, like Corbin Burnes. But Burnes is out of grasp for the Yankees because, on Thursday, he signed with the Baltimore Orioles.
The Orioles Look Like A Far More Favorites To Win AL East Than The Yankees
On Thursday, the Orioles made headlines when they landed Corbin Burnes from the Milwaukee Brewers in a deal that had Joey Ortiz and DL Hall, too. Burnes is a three-time All-Star and the 2021 NL Cy Young Award winner. Last season, the Baltimore Orioles had a record-breaking year. They registered a stunning 101 wins in the regular season. As a result, the Orioles were one of the biggest stories of 2023. Now, adding Corbin Burnes to the rotation is an even more potential warning for the NY Yankees as the division rivals.
.@JonHeyman breaks down the Orioles blockbuster trade for 2021 NL Cy Young winner Corbin Burnes and how it impacts the #Yankees, AL East
— New York Post Sports (@nypostsports) February 2, 2024
Read more: https://t.co/qob2ujeGvy pic.twitter.com/GF0HukT0n9
In a recent interview with the New York Post, Jon Heyman, an MLB insider, mentioned the Orioles have youth in every department. On the other hand, the Yankees are getting older and more injury-prone. As per Heyman, the Orioles are the favorites in the American League East because they have a much better team at the moment. On top of that, Jon Heyman pointed out the new ownership of the Baltimore Orioles that helped the signing of Corbin Burnes so soon. Heyman said it is indeed interesting that the day they made the announcement of the sale, the Orioles did it. It might not be coincidental.
How Important Was The New Ownership Behind The Signing Of Burnes?
Jon Heyman mentioned that the former ownership was working on the sale of the team. They did not want to pull the trigger. As per reports, the Angelos family sold the franchise to the Baltimore billionaire David Rubenstein for $1.725 billion. Moreover, the investment group under the leadership of Rubenstein has several entities.
Cal Ripken, a Hall of Famer and an Orioles legend, then there’s the basketball star Grant Hill, an ex-mayor of New York, Michael Bloomberg and also an ex-mayor of Baltimore, Kurt Schmoke, are part of the same investment group. This group took over the ownership of the Orioles franchise from the Angelos family.
Stay tuned with Sports News International for more such updates about your favorite MLB team.
