The most prominent deal of the 2020 offseason was undoubtedly the New York Yankees and Gerrit Cole inking a nine-year, $324 million. The hot stove has calmed in recent days, though, before the Jays landed Hyun-jin Ryu in a four-year, $80 million deal. However, with GM Brian Cashman quietly waiting for his opportunity to pounce, one can never remain complacent during these tumultuous times.
The latest speculation revolves around Milwaukee Brewers’ Josh Hader, who the Yankees have been linked to for weeks now. The star relief arm has made himself an attractive trade target, and the Bombers have plenty of youth capital to part with if the Brewers are willing to give him up in a deal.
MLB Insider Jon Heyman stated:
“Yankees remain interested in Josh Hader and could begin a package with 3B Miguel Andujar (Brewers don’t really have a set 3B),â€Â Heyman tweeted. “Interested teams still aren’t totally convinced Milwaukee would move the star closer though.â€
There’s precedent for a deal between the two sides, especially if Andujar is on the table and possibly Clint Frazier. Hader, 25, has only spent three seasons in the big leagues and has four years of team control left on his deal. He has been stellar in short a short period, owning a combined 2.42 ERA, 178 ERA+, 15.3 SO/9, 4.85 SO/BB, and a 2.73 FIP.
Adding him to a bullpen with Zack Britton, Chad Green, and Aroldis Chapman would not only give the Yankees a stellar back-end pitcher, but it would take the pressure off the starting rotation, mitigating fatigue and injury concerns.
The New York Yankees would have to part with a potential star:
The downside to this tentative deal would be the loss of Andujar, who logged 27 HR, 47 doubles, and a .855 OPS in his rookie season. At just 24-years-old, Andujar has plenty of time to reach his potential and find his preferred defensive spot. His issues at third base are apparent, but the Yankees haven’t ruled out moving him to a different place to supplement his deficiencies on the hot corner.