Will Dallas Keuchel “gladly shave beard”for the New York Yankees?

Oct 16, 2018; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Astros starting pitcher Dallas Keuchel (60) walks off the mound after the third out in the first inning of game three of the 2018 ALCS playoff baseball series against the Boston Red Sox at Minute Maid Park. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

The New York Yankees struggled in 2018 with their pitching rotation; lacking consistency and efficiency when going into their starting depth. Moving forward, they will look to bolster the unit exponentially through free agency. The Yanks have already added James Paxton from the Seattle Mariners for top prospect Justus Sheffield. With Patrick Corbin having signed a six-year deal with the Washington Nationals, that’s one less quality arm on the market that could have made an excellent addition to the pitching staff.

With a need to strengthen the starting rotation in 2019 in mind, GM Brian Cashman may need to turn to a former team nemesis to fill the Yankees’ biggest need.

Dallas Keuchel: LHP

2018 Stats (HOU):

12-11, 3.74 ERA, 34 Starts, 153 SO, 204.2 IP, 1.134 WHIP, 2.6 WAR

Dallas Keuchel’s days as a Houston Astro appear to be at an end, which could be a sigh of relief for Yankees fans if they sign him. Except for 2018, Keuchel has been a Yankee killer throughout his career. In 11 career starts against the Yankees, including three postseason starts, he is 6-4 with a 2.22 ERA, 0.918 WHIP, and a 9.1 K/9.

Last season was a down year for the former Houston ace, partly due to recent injuries. Throughout 2016, he was pitching with discomfort in his left shoulder. He also missed almost two months of 2017 with neck discomfort and reportedly played through the second half and playoffs of that year with a minor sprain in his left foot. Despite this, he pitched over 200 innings for the third time in the last five seasons, making him a valuable inning-eater.

Keuchel’s link to the Yankees stems from comments that he would “happily shave” his trademark beard for a chance to don the pinstripes. He’s shown in the past that he likes to pitch in Yankee Stadium, posting a 3-2 record and a 2.45 ERA in five career starts.

Along with helping Houston to it’s first ever World Series in 2017, Keuchel is also a former Cy Young winner in 2015, as well as a two-time All-Star and now a four-time Gold Glove winner. If he can stay healthy, he could be a valuable addition to any rotation., though his mediocre 2018 may lower his value somewhat. Even if it just means that they don’t have to face him for a while, Keuchel is one pitcher Cashman should take into consideration.