Dallas Keuchel has made it very clear he’s interested in pitching for the Yankees. Brian Cashman should see just how deep his interest runs.
The Yankees are currently in the process of evaluating every potential starting pitcher on the open market. Dallas Keuchel is one of the only potential signings who’s openly talked about his interest in pitching at Yankee Stadium. That’s enough of a reason for Brian Cashman to gauge the veteran lefty’s market.
For the record, Keuchel is not the ideal signing for New York. He’s coming off a pretty mediocre season in Houston. He wasn’t bad, but pitching 204.2 innings with an ERA of 3.74 isn’t the ace quality production the Yankees are looking for.
He still could be an excellent addition for Aaron Boone’s rotation. Next year will only be his age 31 season. In other words, he still should have another couple of seasons of prime production left in his left arm. Keuchel could easily fit in with Luis Severino and Masahiro Tanaka at the top of New York’s rotation.
It’s also very obvious that Keuchel is interested in donning pinstripes. He recently told the media that pitching for the Yankees has a certain “lure.” That probably won’t amount to a significant discount for Brian Cashman and company, but it’s a question worth asking.
Another obvious benefit of bringing Keuchel to the Bronx is that it would hurt an American League rival. The Astros’ biggest advantage over the Yankees at the moment is their superior starting pitching. Keuchel isn’t Houston’s ace, but losing him would damage their depth. That might be enough to put the Astros’ postseason status in serious jeopardy.
There’s also the reality that Keuchel has been a Yankees killer during his career. He’s got a career ERA of just 2.25 against the team. There is something to be said for bringing someone onto your roster that routinely beats you. It’s not a reason to sign a player in and of itself, but it’s one more point in Kuechel’s favor.
At the very least, Cashman should be sounding out the southpaw’s agent to see just how interested he is in pitching for the Yankees next season. New York can’t afford to be left without two more starting pitchers once the free agent carousel stops. Showing serious interest in Keuchel could pay off in a number of ways for the Yankees.