The New York Yankees have a good rotation. They have ace Gerrit Cole, southpaw Jordan Montgomery, youngsters Deivi Garcia and Clarke Schmidt, and fireballer Domingo German. Additionally, they recently added Corey Kluber on a one-year, $11 million contract for the 2021 season.
However, and perhaps except for Cole, every one of those starters comes with a question mark. Can Montgomery pitch closer to his 2020 FIP (3.87) than ERA (5.11)? How will German look after more than a year without pitching in the majors? Can Garcia maintain the control gains he made in 2020? Is Clarke Schmidt ready for the bigs? How about Kluber’s health?
That’s why it is a good idea for the Yankees to remain engaged in the free agent and trade markets. Both still have options, especially the former. But if the team doesn’t want to pay big bucks, they can try and find a partner to do business with.
The Pittsburgh Pirates recently traded first baseman Josh Bell and starter Joe Musgrove, but they still have enticing pieces on their roster. Jameson Taillon is a name that is surely in the New York Yankees’ radar.
The Yankees are interested in Taillon
Yankees MLB.com beat writer Bryan Hoch recently posted on an Instagram story that the Yankees are looking to add at least another pitcher and have done their homework on Taillon.
The right-hander is a talented hurler with an interest in analytics and looking for ways to improve. He is also cheap, as he is owed $2.25 million for the 2021 season. The red flag is that he has had Tommy John surgert two times already.
The 29-year-old hurler has a 3.67 ERA and a 3.55 FIP in 466.0 career innings, with a 21.5 K% and a 6.0 BB%. He is not an ace, but the Yankees don’t need one. They need talented pitchers to lengthen the rotation, and Taillon fits the bill.