The New York Yankees have not been able to find a suitable partner for Gerrit Cole in baseball crimes. But the NY side finds themselves in deep trouble in the spring training. It is a real crisis for the 27-time champions. They were eager to redeem themselves in the 2024 season. Moreover, 2023 had been terrible for the NY side. They finished with an awful 82-80 record. Moreover, they had the second-worst batting average in the league last season. Only the Oakland Athletics were even worse than the Yankees in case of their hitting average. Hence, the front office mainly focused on reinforcing their offense, which they eventually did really well.
However, the main strength of the defense was that Gerrit Cole remained their only ace pitcher. In 2023, the Yankees ace won the AL Cy Young Award. He was gearing up to have another great season in 2024. However, during spring training, Cole initially said that he was feeling discomfort in his right elbow. Later, the Yankees sent him for an MRI. As a result, it turns out the ace pitcher won’t be able to throw in the next one or two months. Anyway, the NY side had a shaky pitching lineup. But now, it’s the worst they could imagine having happened. What can they do now?
Yankees Can Try To Sign One Of The Three Possible Options
Since the 2023 season was over, the Yankees have missed several opportunities to land quality pitchers. They let Corbin Burnes go to the Baltimore Orioles, and recently, Dylan Cease was a pretty good option. But they failed to impress the Chicago White Sox with a good trade deal for the starting pitcher. They were not ready to let top prospect Spencer Jones go. Lately, Gerrit Cole’s MRI confirmed that the ace pitcher’s UCL is not torn. Dr. Neal ElAttrache will meet with Cole in Los Angeles to ensure how long he will stay out. Now, the Yankees can check out three options for replacing Cole.
As per FanSided, the Yankees can sign free agents Michael Lorenzen and Mike Clevinger. And also there is Shane Bieber from the Cleveland Guardians. Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, mentioned Lorenzen has been seeking a two-year deal this offseason. Matt Blake of the Yankees has worked with Mike Clevinger during their Cleveland days. Hence, Clevinger might be a good fit in the Bronx. Similarly, Blake has also worked with Shane Bieber. Moreover, Shane has been a potential target for the Yankees throughout the season.
Perhaps Shane Is The Best Option To Fill Cole’s Void
Shane’s future with the Guardians is up in the air. He is entering the final year of his arbitration. Next winter, Bieber will hit free agency. Bieber will make $13.1 million in 2024. It is still a hefty sum. But it is nowhere close to the price for Blake Snell or Jordan Montgomery. Moreover, the 2024 season is like a make or break season for the NY Yankees. After last year’s mishap, they are looking for redemption.
They want to win the World Series. But without Gerrit Cole, it seems next to impossible. Hence, it is time for the NY side to take a risk and go all-in for Shane Bieber. Since Dylan Cease is not available for the Bronx Bombers, and Cole may not return in the next couple of months, Bieber has to be the best option.
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