New York Yankees: 5 Burning Questions
Will the Yankees acquire a top-flight starting pitcher?
The only weakness one can point to on the New York Yankees is starting pitching. Per fWAR, the team’s starting rotation was 17th best in all of MLB. Here’s how they fared in some other areas:
- ERA – 4.51 (15th best)
- FIP – 4.74 (18th best)
- WHIP – 1.29 (10th best)
With the current rotation, the team doesn’t have a single starter who can exceed more than 200 IP in a single season. This puts a strain on the strength of this team: the bullpen.
The solution: target a bonafide starter. Someone who can carry the load for seven or eight innings.
The good news: there will likely be two starters willing to be the ace of the Yankees pitching staff.
The problem: this type of pitcher will cost the team a lot of money as they will be sought after by a number of teams.
By this point, you might have guessed that I’m talking about Gerrit Cole and Stephen Strasburg, two sure-fire aces.
Currently, the largest contract for a starting pitcher belongs to Red Sox lefty David Price. In 2016, he received a 7-year, $217M deal ($31M AAV). Cole and Strasburg will be looking to exceed that number, so any team vying for their arms should be looking to spend close to $35M AAV for either pitcher.
My prediction is: the Yankees sign Gerrit Cole to a 7-year deal worth somewhere between $230M – $250M.