There won’t be rest in the Bronx until the New York Yankees bring an elite pitcher on board prior to the start of the 2024 MLB season.
The Yankees have already made a splash in the outfield with their acquisition of LF Juan Soto and backed it up with a string of ancillary additions that prime them for an improvement upon their 82-80 record from 2023.
Shane Bieber Headlines New Slate of Pitchers on Yankees’ Radar
Now, per Fan Nation’s Patrick McAvoy, USA Today’s Bob Nightengale affirmed that the Yankees remain active in their pursuits of another high-end arm after losing the sweepstakes for Japanese ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto. He cited general manager Brian Cashman’s recent efforts to pull strings to acquire Shane Bieber of the Cleveland Guardians, saying:
“The Yankees also have had discussions for Jesús Luzardo of the (Miami Marlins) and Shane Bieber of the (Cleveland Guardians). They could even jump into the (Josh Hader) marketplace. But the Yankees will spend, trade, and do everything possible to assure they are playing deep into October.”
Bieber won the 2020 AL Cy Young award and has maintained a strong standard of play. Though his ERA (3.80) and FIP (3.87) jumped in 2023, Bieber finished with a 1.8 WAR and notched his fifth complete game since entering the majors in 2018.
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Yankees Have the Money and Need to Facilitate a Deal For Bieber
Financially, the Yankees have the pocketbook to make a play for Bieber. Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner has not been shy about his willingness to spend for the right talent while not exceeding the $300 million mark in annual payroll, a two-pronged goal he can achieve with such a move.
Though, the Yankees are tied to other attractive free agents and trade targets in a competitive market, leaving the rest of the winter an ongoing cycle of speculation until Spring training commences.
