For the New York Yankees, it’s day two of the MLB Winter Meetings and no news from the Yankees. Multiple reports say Yankees general manager is cautious. Some say docile in his search for a Yankees pitcher. The Yankees are in need of at least one starting pitcher after seeing Masahiro Tanaka, James Paxton, and J.A. Happ walk into free agency.
Last year during the Winter Meetings, the Yankees were diligent but bold in flying to California and wine and dining Gerrit Cole and his wife. They ended up signing the best pitcher in baseball for $324 million over nine years. With the need for great pitching this offseason to back him up, the Yankees have been very quiet. The only thing that rumors say is that they may make a play to return Masahiro Tanaka to pinstripes for another year or two.
The best pitcher in baseball available out there in free agency is Trevor Bauer, the previous Cleveland Indian and Cincinnati Red pitching star. For Cashman and the Yankees, he will likely cost in the nine figures for a reasonable contract, and it’s unlikely that the Yankees will spend that much after signing Cole last year. They also have to consider their number one priority in this offseason is to re-sign DJ LeMahieu, who is adamant about getting security giving five-year contract.
The New York Post has a pair of reports that say this may be a bleak winter for the New York Yankees. Joel Sherman says:
The Yankees have surprised agents by how docile they have been on the starting pitching front.
The Post’s Dan Martin says:
“They showed last year they’re not going to rush into anything,’’ one agent said. “Even if it means seeing players they may like go somewhere else.â€
Nevertheless, even with these reports, the one thing we know about Brain Cashman is that he is secretive at best in the move he may be making or thinking about. We also know he did nothing before the trade deadline. We also know with the Yankees’ dire needs that they must obtain a number two or three starter before spring training. We also know that there is some water to be added to the oil, Japanese pitcher Tomoyuki Sugano, will be posted today at 8 am.
The New York Yankees since the 1990s have had an interest in players that played well for Japanese teams, and Tomoyuki Sugano is arguably the best pitcher available from the Japanese market. Others the Yankee have acquired are Hideki Irabu, Ichiro Suzuki, Hideki Matsui, Kei Igawa, Hiroki Kuroda, Ryota Igarashi Masahiro Tanaka. Now they could be looking at Tomoyuki Sugano to solve their pitching rotation.
For New York Yankee fans, it sits and wait; it wouldn’t be surprising the three weeks to see nothing under the Christmas tree. But then again, as I said, you never know what Brian Cashman is doing; he is one of the most secretive general managers in baseball. He may pounce on Sugano or pull out an unknown that he sees something in that no one else does. We will have to wait it out.