Settling with Gerrit Cole would be the easy way out of free agency for the New York Yankees, but general manager Brian Cashman has been given the green light to pursue all targets that would contribute to the further success of the team.
The Yankees managed to climb to 103 wins on the backs of several reserve players like Mike Tauchman, Gio Urshela, Brett Gardner, Clint Frazier, and more. They don’t necessarily need to dive into more free agents or potential trade deals, but owner Hal Steinbrenner is keen on winning a World Series in the next two years. Giving up players that are sitting in a secondary role for starting talent makes sense at this point.
Do the New York Yankees have enough utility options?
Both Miguel Andujar and Clint Frazier are on the line to be traded to the Brewers for Josh Hader, which would bring one of the best relief pitchers to the Bronx. The Brewers are also asking for a top prospect, but Cashman isn’t keen on letting two starting level players and a prospect go for a relief pitcher.
MLB Marathon: Hader for Andujar and Frazier being discussed. #Brewers seeking one more top prospect to finish the deal. Cashman being a tough negotiator.Â
However, Hader’s numbers are stellar, and at just 25-years-old, his value is sky-high. Factor in the four years of team control the Bombers would consume, and his influence would be massive.
Here are Hader’s #s from 2017 in relation to other relievers:
204 IP (13th)
2.42 ERA (8th)
2.74 FIP (13th)
.85 WHIP (1st)
.146 Opponent AVG (1st)
15.3 K/9 (2nd)
There’s no such thing as too much pitching, and with both Dellin Betances and Nestor Cortes Jr. departing, Cashman needs to inject more talent into the bullpen. Having multiple quality starters and bullpen arms would give the New York Yankees a better chance at making the World Series, and they don’t want to look back and regret not making a decision that would increase their chances.
Trading away Andujar and Frazier might be a lot, but would it be worth a World Series win in 2020?
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