The Yankees should target this team in a potential J.A. Happ offloading

New York Yankees, J.A. Happ

The New York Yankees are heading into the 2020 season with one of the best starting pitching rotations in all of baseball, and that’s after factoring in the 63-games Domingo German will miss.

The depth in the rotation is strong enough to supplement the loss of German and others if injuries arise (knock on wood), but they may have too much money invested in the back-end of the unit.

Pitchers like J.A. Happ are being paid a large amount ($17 million per season) to feature in a secondary role. Happ had a disastrous 2019, posting a 4.91 ERA with 34 homers allowed, a career-high in both categories. Unloading him seems like the logical move, especially since he holds plenty of value when playing at peak performance.

When the Yankees initially traded from him in 2018, he went on to earn a 7-0 record, logging a 2.69 ERA with New York, helping them reach the playoffs. However, his fall off was well documented in 2019, and it has led to him being a prime candidate in a trade scenario.

MLB’s Bryan Hoch answered a question regarding Happ and where he could potentially land:

Q: Any progress on a J.A. Happ trade?

A:

It has been quiet since the Winter Meetings, and since there is no real deadline to make a move, it wouldn’t be a shock to see the Yankees keep Happ into Spring Training (and possibly even the regular season). With a $17 million salary for 2020, plus a ’21 option at the same amount that vests if Happ registers 165 innings or 27 starts, Happ doesn’t exactly represent great value coming off a largely disappointing season. The Yankees would likely have to eat a large portion of that salary if they intend to offload him quickly. One interested club may be the Blue Jays, who appear primed to contend for an American League Wild Card spot this year.

It’s possible the Yankees could hold onto Happ if they are forced to eat a big chunk of his salary. Having a capable starter waiting in the wings is never a bad thing, especially with the injury concerns the Bombers have faced in recent years.

However, they did bring in Eric Cressey, a renowned strength and conditioning coach, to lead their revitalized program. In an attempt to avoid more soft tissue injuries, it’s expected that Cressey will make a significant difference. This could also play into the probability of Happ being traded. A return to his former club, the Toronto Blue Jays, could make sense.

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