3 pitchers the New York Yankees should trade for
If the New York Yankees are going to do something about their pitching staff, they are going to have to do it soon. Starting pitchers have been fairly well picked over at this point in free agency, leaving few options with any upside available. The rotation could be another problem that money cannot fix in the traditional sense.
But there is another avenue. The Yankees have been a hot team when it comes to trade rumors, seemingly listed on every big name player that could be on the move. Yet, it has been a quiet offseason outside of their acquisition of Josh Donaldson and Isiah Kiner-Falefa.
Three pitchers the New York Yankees should trade for
While that trade theoretically helps the lineup, the Yankees should not stop there. They need to be picking up the phones and attempting to add another solid arm for the rotation. Otherwise, it could be a long summer in the Bronx.
The New York Yankees need to add talent to their starting rotation. Let’s look at three pitchers they should trade for prior to Opening Day.
Frankie Montas
While Sean Manaea gets most of the attention of the pitchers still on the Oakland A’s, Frankie Montas would be a better addition for the New York Yankees.
While Montas does struggles with consistency at times, he has also displayed the potential to be an ace. Overall, he is really a second or third starter with a great deal of upside, the type of pitcher that the Yankees could need.
He answer some of the questions about what type of pitcher he is last season. After a PED suspension ruined his breakout 2019 campaign, and a back injury torpedoed the pandemic shortened 2020 season, the 2021 season was vital for Montas.
He stepped up and performed. Montas posted a 3.37 ERA and a 1.182 WHiP in his 187 innings, striking out 207 batters with 57 walks. He is also under team control for two more years, making him more than a rental for the Yankees.
The New York Yankees need someone to step into their second starter role. Frankie Montas would be a perfect fit.
Luis Castillo
The Cincinnati Reds have been adamant that they are not going to trade Luis Castillo. That should not be the case.
As it is, the Reds are tearing down their roster, trading anything that they can to save a few dollars. Players had been literally given away before the lockout, and that is continuing now. If the Reds are going to contend, it will be years from now.
It does not make sense to hang on to Castillo at this point. He has two years of team control left, and unless the Reds are signing him to a team friendly extension, will not be with the team when they are ready to contend. Instead, it is time to bite the bullpen and make a trade.
The New York Yankees need to be calling. While they have been loath to part with either of their top shortstop prospects to this point, Castillo is the type of player that would be worth changing that stance for. He would be the second ace that the Yankees need, pairing with Gerrit Cole to give them the 1-2 punch necessary to contend in the AL East.
Luis Castillo is not on the block for the Cincinnati Reds. The New York Yankees should call up and make an offer they cannot refuse to bring him to Yankee Stadium.
3 pitchers the New York Yankees should trade for
JT Brubaker
JT Brubaker is not going to be anyone who generates headlines. In fact, New York Yankees fans may not be a fan of any transaction that results in his coming to the Bronx.
One can understand why. Brubaker did not have a great 2021 season, posting a 5.36 ERA and a 1.295 WHiP in his 124.1 innings, striking out 129 batters with 38 walks. While he displayed impressive command and struck out more than a batter an inning, that ERA is more than enough to give anyone pause.
But it is also misleading. Brubaker had a 3.82 ERA and a 1.133 WHiP in his 77.2 innings through the end of June, striking out 75 batters with 13 walks. He clearly wore down afterwards, as he posted a 7.91 ERA and a 1.564 WHiP in his final 46.2 innings, striking out 51 batters with 21 walks. As he pitched just 47.1 innings in 2020, it is not a surprise that he would have struggled in the second half of the season.
This makes him a possible bargain for interested teams. Brubaker could be much closer to his first half as he gets used to those innings and learns how to be more economical with his pitch counts. The Yankees could get him at a bargain and have a solid middle of the rotation arm for years to come.
5 free agent starting pitcher options for Yankees. dark. Next
JT Brubaker may not be the type of arm that generates headlines. However, he could be someone that makes an unexpected difference.