The New York Yankees find themselves at a crossroads with their pitching depth for the upcoming MLB season. While the team had high hopes for Yoshinobu Yamamoto sweepstakes, the leadership’s own resistance led to an unexpected fallout. The team reportedly refused to add an extra $25 million to the existing offer to match Dodgers’ contract.
Having said that, the pitching market is shrinking at an accelerated pace. With just over a month to go for spring training, the Yankees’ options are limited. Yet, as per multiple rumors, the team has shortlisted a couple of fallback options. Those include an NPB Cuban pitcher and a former Yankee who is now a World Series champion.
Yankees Linked To Yariel Rodriguez, Jordan Montgomery Amid Pitching Depth Woes!
In the wake of the Yamamoto sweepstakes fallout, the New York Yankees find themselves recalibrating their pitching strategy for the upcoming season. Yamamoto, a promising pitcher who generated considerable interest in the free-agent market, slipped through the team’s grasp, leaving the team in need of viable alternatives. In response to this setback, the Bombers have turned their attention to potential free-agency targets. One intriguing candidate for the Bombers rotation is Yariel Rodriguez. The Cuban pitcher, who got posted on MLB by his NPB team earlier this month, has grabbed the interest of Yankee scouts. Rodriguez’s fastball consistently reaches the mid-90s, complemented by a sharp slider and a developing changeup. While the Cuban lacks major league experience, he can make a seamless transition and contribute meaningfully.
On the other hand, former Yankee pitcher Jordan Montgomery is also an option. Apparently, the Yankees are keen on sorting a reunion. However, the situation is more complex than it seems. While Montgomery is a free agent, he is inclined towards extending his stay with Texas Rangers. The starter successfully guided the Rangers to its maiden World Series championship with impressive stints in the postseason. Moreover, Montgomery has reservations about the reunion, given the events that led to his exit in the first place. The Bombers traded him in 2022, saying they don’t see him as a postseason option. However, the pitcher hit back by elevating his gameplay post-exit. Overall, acquiring both candidates would require a strong push and intent from the Yankee front office. But they must move now as time is running out.
Did Yanks Choose to Let Yamamoto Walk To Protect Gerrit Cole’s Ego?
Meanwhile, fans are bemused to learn that the New York Yankees apparently didn’t increase monetary stakes in Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s pursuit because of Gerrit Cole. Reportedly, the team tabled a $300 million offer but refused to match the Dodgers and Met’s $325 million offer since they believe no pitcher should value more than ace Gerrit Cole.
Gerrit Cole signed a $324 million back in 2019 with the Yankees and became the costliest pitcher in the league until this off-season. However, fans are bewildered by this reasoning and believe that the Bombers merely wanted to protect Cole’s ego. Moreover, in the process of satisfying an aging pitcher’s ego, the team let go of a promising 25-year-old starting pitcher. This has left the fans fuming.