The New York Yankees have missed a great chance of uplifting their fans into a frenzy. They were so close to land Yoshinobu Yamamoto. He was the biggest name from Japan that came this offseason to debut in MLB next year. Moreover, he would have been perfect for the NY side as their starting pitcher. But they even missed the righty Japanese ace pitcher narrowly to the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Now, the Yankees look seriously in trouble finding a starting pitcher. So, who’s it going to be? Jim Bowden of The Athletic says the Yankees are in line to secure a deal with Josh Hader from the SD Padres. But he’s not an ideal starter for the Bronx. Perhaps the Yankees would be happy to bring back Jordan Montgomery.
Is Montgomery A Viable Option For The Yankees?
As per Jon Heyman, MLB Insider, the Bronx Bombers looking for a reunion with Jordan Montgomery. But Robert Murray of FanSided does not think that Montgomery is an ideal option. Murray points out the way the relationship ended last year. The Yankees traded Jordan Montgomery when his the then-fiancee was coming to New York to start her medical residency. Now, they are happily married. But will Montgomery want to get back with the Pinstripes now? Is there really no lingering bad blood? Last season, Jordan did raise objections over the NY side’s use of his left arm publicly. But at the end of the season, he just let all negativities between them go away. Now, the question is if that was genuine or just another tactic for negotiations.
I don’t know who created this narrative that Brian Cashman and Jordan Montgomery have beef with each other but reality is they’ve both spoken highly of each other since the trade. The Yankees traded from a perceived strength to fill a weakness, it didn’t work out. https://t.co/0k2CFsBeLP pic.twitter.com/f3e8BOMeSz
— Chief Earl (@YankeesFanEarl) December 29, 2023
“Cincinnati, San Diego and the Yankees prefer the right-hander in a relief role. Rojas indicates that Rodriguez prefers to start, although there’s no indication he has officially ruled out any teams targeting him in a bullpen capacity” https://t.co/xa5umqQNbe
— Will Holder (@WillHolder9) December 28, 2023
Moreover, the question is, if not Montgomery, then who’s the Yankee’s choice for starting pitcher? According to MLB Insiders, the Yankees are also thinking about a Cuban import, the right-hander Yariel Rodriguez. Now, will the Yankees use him as a starter or a reliever? There are three teams, including the Bronx Bombers and the SD Padres, who prefer he work out of the bullpen. On the other hand, the Boston Red Sox and the Pittsburgh Pirates may want to see him as a starter. Rodriguez might like the latter option, too. However, he is not counting out any team yet. The Yankees have a teeny-tiny possibility to get him.
Pinstripes Got The Outfield They Wanted
Brian Cashman told the reporters back in November during the GM Meetings in Scottsdale, Arizona, what they were looking for. The Pinstripe’s GM was clear that they were in the market for a couple of star lefty hitters and a star pitcher. Moreover, they needed reinforcement for their offense, which really let them down in 2023. Anyway, the front office delighted the fans with the news that Juan Soto is coming from San Diego to join the NY Yankees for a year.
Albeit he wasn’t a free agent, the SD Padres were just giving him away to slash their payroll. On the other hand, Soto will be a free agent at the end of the next season. Moreover, the biggest free agent this offseason was Shohei Ohtani. Clearly, the Yankees were not going to offer him a deal of around $700 million. Only the Los Angeles Dodgers could do that, and they got him. But what about the Japanese ace pitcher, the 26-year-old Yamamoto? Letting Yamamoto go to the Dodgers could be a big mistake.
