MLB Free Agency: Which Team Is the Best Fit for Derek Holland?
By Tim Haberin
New York Yankees
It’s no secret that the Yankees need to address their rotation this offseason. Outside of Masahiro Tanaka, who just had a very nice year as the team’s number one starter, there’s not a whole settled. And even he comes with some lingering health concerns.
Michael Pineda continues to be one of the most frustrating pitchers in the league. Nathan Eovaldi was having a rough season before requiring his second Tommy John surgery in August, which will likely keep him out for the entire 2017 season and could spell the end of his tenure in pinstripes altogether. Former top prospect Luis Severino fell well short of expectations in 2016 and is a question mark, too.
36-year-old CC Sabathia might actually be one of the more dependable options they have. After some ugly, injury-plagued seasons, the veteran lefty made 30 starts this year and managed a 3.91 ERA, his lowest mark since 2012.
The Yanks have been linked to trade discussions surrounding White Sox ace Chris Sale, but if they want to hold on to their suddenly robust farm system, they could set their sights a bit lower. The free agent market obviously has nothing close to a talent like Sale, but they could add to their rotation depth without sacrificing coveted prospects.
Holland might be a decent bounce-back candidate for them to consider. He’s an AL veteran and having just turned 30 years old, he’s certainly not long in the tooth yet either. Though the Yankees organization isn’t exactly known as a pitching factory, they have had some success in turning around pitchers with injury histories. Brandon McCarthy comes to mind, although his subsequent time with the Dodgers has been anything but memorable.
In all honesty, this seems like a gamble the Yanks won’t take, especially if the bidding goes beyond a one-year deal. They might look to some of their younger in-house arms instead, like Luis Cessa, Chad Green and Bryan Mitchell. Swingman Adam Warren is apparently going to get another chance to stick in the rotation as well.
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