New York Yankees: Remaining free agent starting pitching options
Reports noted that the New York Yankees are interested in signing another starting pitcher at this time. While there are a multitude of options on the market, few have any appeal to them.
If New York Yankees fans expected general manager Brian Cashman to stay quiet until Spring Training, they received a response Thursday. The club already acquired James Paxton this offseason, and they signed above-average relievers Adam Ottavino and Zach Britton.
Yet Cashman has not ruled out a last-minute signing for a starting pitcher. Given the current state of the rotation, it’s understandable.
However, the few enticing options available at the start of this winter already don other jerseys. The exception is Dallas Keuchel, but the southpaw’s asking price is likely far too much for what New York is willing to offer – rightfully so.
The Yankees currently boast one of the league’s best one-two punches with Luis Severino and James Paxton. J.A. Happ and Masahiro Tanaka are both well-respected, consistent pitchers, though Tanaka had a forgetful 2017.
Nevertheless, questions center on how long C.C. Sabathia can retain his spot. The 38-year-old has pitched at least 120 innings in all but one of his 18 professional seasons. Yankees fans hope he can continue that impressive trend – without inflated numbers.
Yankees look very solid on paper but are considering adding a starter for depth. Gio, Ervin, maybe Miley among possibilities.
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) January 31, 2019
The biggest concern is injuries. Surely, they take a toll on every team, so Cashman needs insurance for when they occur.
But if New York adds another starting pitcher, it will halt some pitchers’ aspirations to join the rotation. Pitchers like Chance Adams and Domingo German started games last season, although it seems that the organization may be more comfortable with a veteran free agent.
Jordan Montgomery would certainly have a chance to replace any pitcher as the team’s sixth starter. Yet, the southpaw will be out until at least June – likely later – due to his recovery from Tommy John surgery.
Veteran pitchers are readily available. The immediate issue is that most of them are washed-up and mainly acted as inning-eaters for their former teams.
Nonetheless, there are still a few viable options with respectable résumés that Cashman might look into.
Gio Gonzalez
Although Gonzalez is not the most-talented pitcher left on the market, he may be the most affordable. Of the several arms vying for a team, Gonzalez is one of the more-consistent choices.
Gonzalez enjoyed one of his best seasons just two years ago. Though he struggled in 2018, he still posted a solid 2.13 ERA across across five starts after being dealt to Milwaukee.
More importantly, the left-hander has remained healthy throughout much of his career. He tossed more than 150 innings in every year since 2010.
But there are some major worries when surveying through Gonzalez’s career statistics. Primarily, he walks a significant amount of hitters. Moreover, he doesn’t miss as many bats as he used to in his prime.
Gonzalez ranked in the top 10 in walks allowed in both 2017 and 2018. Thus, his WHIP has been relatively high up to this point.
The Yankees would be able to obtain the pitcher for a reasonable price, considering he’s still on the market. Yet, the front office may also be hesitant to have three southpaws – possibly four with Montgomery – in the rotation at once.
Moreover, the question is whether Gonzalez would be worth to have in the back end of the rotation. The former Washington pitcher owned a unimpressive 4.57 ERA through his first 27 starts.
If the Yankees desire a pitcher to eat innings and remain healthy, Gonzalez might be a legitimate option. But it’s unlikely that he returns to his 2017 form, although a new change of scenery motivated him to thrive while he was on the Brewers.
Unfortunately for Cashman, there aren’t many better options on the current free agent market.
Ervin Santana
Several baseball fans will forget that Santana pitched a portion of last season. Ultimately, his numbers represented five poor starts after returning from a severe injury.
But like Gonzalez, Santana had a spectacular 2017 season – he was also an All-Star. Yet, his final stint with the Twins might suggest his career is near its end.
However, he remains as one of the more reliable unsigned starters. Whether he would be a major contributor for the Yankees is a critical question.
The Dominican starter has arguably gotten better with age. He posted his best seasons following his 30th birthday. And he was also Minnesota’s premier pitcher two years ago, posting a 3.38 ERA and the second-best WHIP in his career.
Surely, Santana would be a one-year contract recipient, which makes a deal less risky. And if he can remain on the mound rather than off the field to nurse his ongoing finger injury, he could be a surprise in the American League.
Similar to Gonzalez, Santana doesn’t miss many bats any more. His strikeout rate has dwindled considerably since 2014, though he uses the same repertoire. And he would also be facing a division with one of baseball’s best offense and other formidable hitters.
Even more concerning is his velocity, which was down an average of four miles per hour between 2017 and 2018. It’s clear Santana wasn’t at his full health last season, which showed in his overall numbers.
Cashman and the Yankees front office may not partake in any negotiations unless they can get Santana for an extremely low price. Even then, it’s unclear whether the front office trusts the right-hander enough to maintain a spot with Sabathia slotted in the back end.
Other Free Agent Pitchers
Of the notable free agent starters left on the market, just one is younger than 30 years old. But age is certainly just a number if the Yankees are truly considering an addition to the rotation.
But the question is whether several of them could even succeed at a hitters park like Yankee Stadium.
Doug Fister, Jeremy Hellickson and Hisashi Iwakuma are primarily contact pitchers that thrive on getting ground balls. Yet, since they don’t miss many bats, the short porch in right field would be a significant obstacle for them.
Moreover, there are guys with injury-riddled careers, hence why they remain free agents. Brett Anderson seemed like a proven southpaw his first two seasons with Oakland, but he’s eclipsed the 100-inning mark just once since 2011.
Then there are journeymen that are essentially on a different team every season, like Edwin Jackson. Jackson showed some life on the mound while pitching for the Athletics, posting a 3.33 ERA across more than 90 innings. Yet, his career ERA is 4.60 – a reason why he isn’t given multi-year contracts.
Bartolo Colon and Nate Karns are other options, primarily because they’ve both proven to be effective at times.
Colon would be more a feel-good story in New York, as he pitched with the Yankees back in 2011. But while the 45-year-old veteran would amass a large crowd due to his popularity on social media, he likely wouldn’t last long due to his recent struggles.
Karns has had a frustrating career, showing glimpses of promise due to his ability to miss bats consistently. However, the right-hander dealt with several injuries in 2016 and 2017 and didn’t pitch in 2018.
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Thus, there is only one more legitimate option, other than Gonzalez and Santana, that Cashman might look into. But he still has major red flags on his résumé.
Clay Buchholz rebounded in Arizona after an appalling stop in Philadelphia. The 34-year-old is far past his best days with the Red Sox, but he’s adjusted to his diminishing velocity. He pitched well in a hitter-friendly park, yielding more than three runs just once in 11 starts.
Of course, he’s still Buchholz and has been chided for his inconsistency and durability since his All-Star season in 2013. And Yankees fans are still peeved by the decision to bring Jacoby Ellsbury aboard with a massive contract.
Buchholz would likely get a minimal amount of money, and he could be worth the risk if he pitches like he did in Arizona.
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Nevertheless, Cashman has far better choices on the trade market at this time. New York still boasts a well-developed rotation that should compete well in the American League. But if the front office really wants another arm, it shouldn’t force itself to pick amongst the free agents.