New York Yankees News/Rumors: Yankee’s mid-rotation replacements are disappearing

New York Yankees, Masahiro Tanaka
May 27, 2018; Bronx, NY, USA; New York Yankees starting pitcher Masahiro Tanaka (19) reacts during the fourth inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

The New York Yankees pitching situation this offseason is in continual flux. When the Yankees refused to give qualifying offers to Mashiro Tanaka, James Paxton, and J.A. Happ, they became free agents able to accept offers from any team that was interesting in them. There are so many unknowns that general manager Brian Cashman has his hand filled trying to improve the Yankee pitching rotation after another losing season. The Yankees have won only one World Series in the last 20 years, the last one eleven years ago. The Yankee front office would like to see that change, along with the fans that are tired of getting to the postseason, only to lose again.

Although not comfirmed by the Yankees, there are suggestions that the Yankees are talking with Masahiro Tanaka about a possible return. Any return of Tanaka would likely be for a short term and deeply discounted from what he earned this past season. They didn’t offer him a qualifying offer, showing that they are willing to let the “Tank” walk if he won’t accept the Yankees terms.

With all of that going on the Yankees have been looking for mid-rotation pitching help. High on the list of considerations was Charlie Morton, Kevin Gausman, and Marcus Stroman. But now, this week both Stroman and Gausman have accepted qualifying offers from their teams, possibly looking for a bigger payday after the next season, when the free agent market may be financially better. The Yankees are quickly losing candidates to solver their pitching problems. That probably moves Charlie Morton and Lance Lynn, further up the consideration ladder. However, the secretive Brian Cashman may be looking at dark horses the no one knows about.

With the pitching market already shrinking, it makes one wonder if the New York Yankees might take a closer look at adding a big money pitcher, like the newly selected Cy Young Award winning Trevor Bauer? Being cash short due to huge losses this year, that is doubtful. The Yankee fans would love it. Imagine a pitching rotation of Gerrit Cole, Trevor Bauer, Luis Severino, Domingo German, and Masahiro Tanaka anchoring a rotation that has a bevy of backup prospects, like Jordan Montgomery, Deivi Garcia and others.

If the New York Yankees are serious about winning a 28th World Championship, and winnig it now after obtaining Cole, they will bite the bullet and spend for Trevor Bauer, instead, of patching up a lineup behind Cole. Doing the same thing tends to produce the same results. Getting Bauer would make the loss of Masahiro Tanaka meaningless, with so many prospects able to fill the fifth spot in the rotation.