Fansided

5 big free agents the Yankees will chase this winter

By Rucker Haringey

WASHINGTON, DC - OCTOBER 14: Washington Nationals starting pitcher Stephen Strasburg (37) laughs after not getting a called strike three in the seventh inning of Game Three of the NLCS between the Washington Nationals and the St. Louis Cardinals at Nationals Park. (Photo by Jonathan Newton/The Washington Post via Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC - OCTOBER 14: Washington Nationals starting pitcher Stephen Strasburg (37) laughs after not getting a called strike three in the seventh inning of Game Three of the NLCS between the Washington Nationals and the St. Louis Cardinals at Nationals Park. (Photo by Jonathan Newton/The Washington Post via Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
4 of 5
Next

2. Stephen Strasburg

The Nationals desperately want to retain both Strasburg and the aforementioned Rendon this winter. However, they may struggle to pay both of them what the market will require. If that’s the case, the Yankees may put real pressure on Washington by giving Strasburg a massive offer to consider.

Strasburg has suffered from some troubling arm ailments during his career, but none of that showed up for him in 2019. Instead, he was the anchor of the Nationals rotation that powered Washington to the World Series. During the regular season, Strasburg posted an excellent ERA of just 3.32 in 209 innings.

The 31-year-old is also the quintessential power arm that the Yankees covet for the top of their rotation. He struck out a career-high 252 hitters during the regular season. The swing-and-miss stuff he has is just what the Yankees need to strike fear in opponents when the postseason arrives.

The challenge her for Cashman will be stopping Strasburg from returning to Washington or heading home to Southern California. Don’t look for either possibility to stop the Yankees from becoming intimately involved in the race to sign him. Strasburg won’t be the team’s top target in free agency, but he represents an excellent consolation prize if they do miss out on their first priority.

Home/New York Yankees