It is no secret that the New York Yankees desperately need more starting pitching support, in which general manager Brian Cashman can look to the free agent or trade market.
Unfortunately, Cashman is going to have to overspend on either Jordan Montgomery or Blake Snell, which may not be advisable since both are 31 years old and coming off dominant seasons. Cashman would be buying high, and after doing that with Carlos Rodon, who put together his worst season as a professional in 2023, playing that same game may be risky.
The Yankees Should Be Scouring The Trade Market
The trade market makes tons of sense for the Yankees, especially when it comes to Cleveland Guardians starter Shane Bieber. Bieber is 28 years old, coming off a down season, pitching 128 innings and recording a 3.80 ERA. His velocity dipped slightly from past years but is only one year removed from pitching 200 innings and recording a 2.88 ERA and 2.87 FIP.
If he can turn his stuff around, increasing his strikeout numbers and remaining healthy, it’s a gamble the Yankees should be considering.
The question is, how much would Cashman have to give up to acquire?
With Bieber headed into the final of arbitration and hitting free agency in 2025, the Cleveland Guardians may consider maximizing that value now. They can likely get back a solid prospect, if not several, in return. Right off the bat, the Yankees should leverage the value of outfield prospect Everson Pereira.
Pereira is an exciting player at 22 years old, but his path to consistent playing time is murky. He enjoyed 27 games at the MLB level last season after spending 46 in Double-A and 35 in Triple-A, flying through the upper tiers of the minor-league system. He was dominant at nearly every MiLB level, but he struggled once he reached the majors. Over 103 plate appearances, Pereira hit .151/.233/.194, including 10 RBIs with a 38.8% strikeout rate.
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Despite being a competent defensive player at multiple outfield positions, his offense needs a bit of work. His strikeout rate needs to come down, and Pereira needs to be a bit more conservative with his approach. His natural desire to be aggressive got him into a bit of trouble early in counts, forcing him to make risky decisions that resulted in a higher whiff rate.
However, at such a young age and with plenty of upside to be a legit starter, the Yankee should float his name in potential talks. It will be difficult for the Yankees to get him playing time in 2024, with an outfield already consisting of Aaron Judge, Juan Soto, Alex Verdugo, Trent Grisham, and more.
It is also important to mention that Jasson Dominguez will return at some point next summer, and Spencer Jones is quickly rising, with a projected MLB debut in 2025 at the very latest. Pereira is quickly being buried behind a number of talented players, so the Yankees should leverage his value now while he still has youth and a minor-league option available.