In a surprising turn of events, the New York Yankees made an appearance on the list of teams not to have spent a dollar this off-season on free agents. NYY’s first priority was to land outfielders, and they accomplished that goal during winter meetings. Next on the checklist was to find a good partner for Gerrit Cole in the rotation.
Gerrit Cole, Yankees ace and AL CY Young award winner stood stranded at one end as his rotational peers failed to come through in 2023. Thus, this off-season, the Bronx Bombers made a pact to land a strong starting pitcher. While Yoshinobu Yamamoto fell out of their lap, the front office apparently has eyes on another CY Young award-winning pitcher who also seems interested in joining forces.
Blake Snell “Interested” To Sign With Yankees This Off-Season!
A two-time CY Young award-winning starting pitcher, Blake Snell, is currently a free agent. The pitcher logged a 2.25 ERA across 32 starts last season with the Padres. While the stealer numbers awarded him the CY Young accolade, the Padres couldn’t offer an extension contract owing to a financial crunch. Thus, Snell entered free agency to explore his fate. Meanwhile, the New York Yankees were once floated as the top landing spot. With Gerrit Cole in the fold, the team wanted to create history by having two defending CY Young awardees in the rotation. Having said that, while competition from the Los Angeles Angels and San Francisco Giants is steep, Snell’s remains inclined toward the Bronx.
As per Andy Martino of SNY, Blake Snell has privately expressed his interest in joining forces with the New York Yankees this off-season. Moreover, the Bomber’s front office has the blessings of ace Gerrit Cole, as he is completely on board with the idea of having two defending CY Young pitchers. However, while the idea is intriguing, its financial implications cannot be ignored. As per industry rumors, Snell is seeking a six deal surpassing the $150 million figure. That accumulates to over $25 million per year, which will soar the Yanks’ payroll by over $300 million. Surpassing the threshold will lead to heavy fines as Yanks remain second-time offenders of luxury tax regulation. Thus, Hal Steinbrenner needs to play off every scenario before taking the plunge for Blake Snell.
Yanks Agree To A Split Contract With RHP Cody Poteet
In other news, the New York Yankees have bolstered its pitching staff by adding RHP Cody Poteet to the depth. Cody spent most of last season in rehab following a Tommy John surgery. But, in 2022, he pitched a 3.86 ERA across 12 games, which included two starts. As per the Post, Yanks have agreed to a split contract with Poteet wherein he will receive $200,000 in minors and $750,000 in the major league.
Not only that, rumors suggest that while Cody Poteet is primarily added as relief depth, he will compete for the rotational spot during upcoming spring training. Of course, the pitcher has limited major league experience. But his dual ability to pitch starts and come in as a reliever is surely a plus to the Yankee’s depth.
