With the New York Yankees curious about the available starting pitching options this upcoming offseason, it leaves the door open for several quality targets. Of course, Houston Astros ace, Gerrit Cole, will top the list of pitchers the Yanks will undoubtedly pursue, but Washington Nationals’ Stephen Strasburg could also be of interest.
Strasburg, who’s likely to opt-out of the final four years of his contract with the Nationals, will be seeking more money. However, there are beliefs that he wants to stay in Washington D.C. due to preference for comfort. His spectacular postseason, earning a 1.93 ERA proves he’s one of the best in baseball, but injury concerns have made him a liability at times.
Cole, who is the best option in baseball on the mound, has maintained his health throughout his career, while Strasburg has missed ample time. The latter will likely command less money than Cole, but neither will resemble anything close to being cheap.
Strasburg did pitch 209 innings this season compared to Cole’s 212, proving he can manage a full workload. The Yankees will favor Cole and his health, but general manager Brian Cashman stated that he’s not prioritizing pitching this offseason. He blamed a lack of run production for the team’s faltering in the ALCS, not the starting pitching.
Hypothetically, here’s a look at what the New York Yankees starting pitching rotation could look like:
1.) Gerrit Cole/Stephen Strasburg
2.) Luis Severino
3.) James Paxton
4.) Masahiro Tanaka
5.) J.A. Happ
This rotation would give the Bombers consistency in a place where they suffered consistent injuries and deficiencies this season. Paxton struggled during the regular season before taking over in the playoffs, and Severino only joined the team later on in the year to help in their postseason run. Tanaka was inconsistent during the regular season but dominated in the postseason, as usual, and Happ was a significant disappointment in every facet.
Alleviating any pitching concerns should be a priority for Cashman, even after his comments blaming the ALCS loss on the hitters. Cole or Strasburg are two fantastic players who would inject pure quality into the rotation — at a cost.