While owner Hal Steinbrenner and general manager Brian Cashman publically advocated for the current grouping of starting pitchers on the New York Yankees, the reality is, adding a player like Gerrit Cole or Stephen Strasburg would be significant.
“For the most part, I think our starting pitching was good this year,’’ Steinbrenner said. “Even missing [Luis] Severino and [Jordan] Montgomery [for most or all of the season due to injuries].â€
Severino returned after missing nearly the entire 2019 campaign to pitch in three games, earning a 1.50 ERA. While those numbers offer a very minimal sample size, it’s important to note that he’s a premium quality pitcher when healthy and can be the ace in the rotation.
However, as we’ve seen, having just one top-level pitcher isn’t enough to win a World Series. The Yankees do have James Paxton, who was the only starter with a sub 4.00 ERA (minimum ten games).
Paxton dominated in the postseason as well, holding a 3.46 ERA over 13.0 innings. He proved that he can be an excellent option for the Bombers and perform in clutch situations, but the Canadain arm isn’t the reason the Yankees won’t go out and sign Cole or Strasburg.
What will keep the New York Yankees from investing in a big-name free agent starter?
Jordan Montgomery.
Manager Aaron Boone and Cashman have incredibly high hopes for Montgomery, a player who hasn’t had a good season in two years but has shown quality stuff on the mound. In 2017, he finished the season with a 3.88 ERA, striking out 144 batters and allowing 21 homers. The Yankees are excited to have him healthy going into 2020 finally, and his injection in the starting rotation will supplement the loss of CC Sabathia.
I believe the Yankees should pursue one of the top pitchers on the free-agent market, considering the value they bring to the team. Specifically, Cole is the better all-around arm, considering his consistent health and numbers. He will undoubtedly earn more than Strasburg, but if the margin isn’t exponential, signing him is the better move. Also, it would be the Yankees instant World Series contenders next season.