There are many questions about the New York Yankees’ rotation plans, but not everyone is on board. They’re expected to go with a rotation that lost Luis Severino and got Marcus Stroman, which some argue isn’t enough. While we don’t know exactly what the rotation will bring this season, there are valid reasons to believe and doubt what the Yankees currently have, but Jim Bowden of The Athletic appears to be more negative.
If the Yankees are going to make the playoffs and fight for a World Series title, it is not going to happen unless they sign another great starter.
Whether you agree or disagree, those are big words about their rotation, especially given that all indicators point to the franchise going all-in this year.
Are the Yankees in desperate need of another ace?
Jim Bowden did not mince words when it came to the Yankees and their rotation, despite the fact that some projections favor their pitching staff. FanGraphs predicts that their starting five will have the sixth-best WAR (13.5) and eighth-best ERA (4.02) in 2024, although concerns about their health are valid. Nestor Cortes and Carlos Rodon have made significant progress in Spring Training, showcasing their regular velocities early in camp and indicating that they are far ahead of schedule. Still, they’ll have to prove themselves in the regular season to wash away the memory of a bad 2023 season.
The two combined for just 26 starts last year after being All-Stars in 2022, and even when they did pitch, they had a collective 5.92 ERA, which will not enough if the Yankees want to compete. The belief that the two can improve is justifiable and valid, yet health and progress are not always assured. The Yankees’ only addition to the rotation was Marcus Stroman, who made his second All-Star team last season but struggled in the second half due to hip issues, a concern that will continue in 2024.
If the Yankees want to make changes, which all signals point to, there are still plenty of talented arms available on the free agent and trade markets. The issue is the price, which is why both Blake Snell and Jordan Montgomery are still free agents despite their stellar 2023 seasons and the league’s acute need for starting pitching. The Yankees were also interested in both, but they chose Stroman because he was less expensive and, more importantly, required a shorter financial commitment.
Dylan Cease has been linked to the Yankees several times this winter, and the franchise is still open to making a trade for him, but with a big proviso. Spencer Jones is not being traded because of his unusual power-speed combination, which has earned him a unanimous top-100 prospect ranking in the game. He’s worked hard this offseason to enhance his ability to get the ball in the air more consistently, but the most appealing aspect of his profile is his outstanding glove in centerfield.
Nonetheless, the Chicago White Sox are not going to force themselves to move the 2022 Cy Young runner-up for an insufficient package, and they are content to keep him until the deadline. The Yankees may turn to a player like Shane Bieber from the Cleveland Guardians, but they aren’t eager to move him right now. It is not impossible to reach an agreement for the 2020 AL Cy Young winner, but the AL Central is wide open, and they might try to compete in the first half before revisiting the topic at the deadline.
The Yankees aren’t going to spend all of their trade and financial resources trying to find a starter before Opening Day, as they have enough to go through July. Their Minor League depth is impressive, with Chase Hampton and Will Warren making waves early in camp, and the Yankees have taken a like to Luke Weaver following his impressive (although brief) run with the team last September. It is not to argue that the squad would not benefit from an addition to their rotation, but they are not in a position to make a frantic overpay.
With Blake Snell and Jordan Montgomery remaining on the free agent market, and Dylan Cease of the White Sox still available via trade, New York must sign one of them. At least that’s my perspective.
All of this is dependent on your current assessment of their rotation; cautious optimism is not always warranted, even when data suggests we have reason to believe in a position group. As the season progresses, needs will become more evident, and the Yankees will most likely resume any trade talks for starting pitchers in July, regardless of who they sign in February.
