Why the New York Yankees won’t win the Yu Darvish sweepstakes

HOUSTON, TX - OCTOBER 27: Yu Darvish
HOUSTON, TX - OCTOBER 27: Yu Darvish
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Yankees
HOUSTON, TX – OCTOBER 14: Luis Severino

The Yankees don’t need a starting pitcher….yet

A top-flight pitcher became the team’s primary focus this offseason once the club traded for Giancarlo Stanton. Some analysts and fans agree that it’s not a necessity.

New York owned the fifth-best staff in 2017, based on its 3.72 ERA. Starters combined for a slightly higher 3.98 ERA, but still ranked in the top five overall.

Cashman felt the team needed starting pitchers throughout last season, hence why he acquired Sonny Gray and Jaime Garcia. Now, with six capable starting hurlers, there is no need to spend boo-koo bucks on a free agent.

Tanaka and Luis Severino pack a solid one-two punch at the head of the rotation. Gray seems overrated based on his career numbers, but his ERA is just .03 points lower than Darvish’s – Gray has pitched 62 fewer innings.

Still, Gray and Jordan Montgomery, a hidden gem, will be more than just inning-eaters in the back end. Then there’s Sabathia, who had a productive season in 2017 despite posting a low strikeout rate and higher walk rate than normal.

Darvish’s playoff performance may deter the Yankees from offering a bloated contract. Granted, nearly every pitcher in the World Series struggled in the seven games. But Darvish looked horrible.

Dodgers fans blamed the starter for floundering on the bump in Game 3 and Game 7 when the stakes were high. In just 3 1/3 innings, the right-hander yielded eight earned runs. Whether he tipped pitches or not, he was unimpressive.

New York needs a pitcher that can make an impact during more than just the regular season. Darvish shouldn’t be shunned for his poor playoff outings across the past two seasons. But for a club that already has a handful of decent pitchers and an excellent bullpen, it matters.

The Yankees don’t need an ace for the postseason. If anything, they can run a three- or four-man rotation. Boasting one of the best bullpens in the league helps too.