5 under-the-radar free agents the Yankees should target this winter

BRONX, NY - OCTOBER 17: Manager Aaron Boone #17 of the New York Yankees watches batting practice as General Manager Brian Cashman looks on prior to Game 4 of the ALCS between the Houston Astros and the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on Thursday, October 17, 2019 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Alex Trautwig/MLB Photos via Getty Images) /

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OAKLAND, CA – SEPTEMBER 16: Tanner Roark #60 of the Oakland Athletics pitches against the Kansas City Royals during the first inning at the RingCentral Coliseum on September 16, 2019 in Oakland, California. The Kansas City Royals defeated the Oakland Athletics 6-5. (Photo by Jason O. Watson/Getty Images) /

4. Tanner Roark

Roark is not the bona fide ace that Yankees fans are dreaming about in free agency. Instead, he’s another option for the middle of Aaron Boone’s rotation. His ability to eat innings might really appeal to the Yankees’ analytically driven front office.

He wasn’t dominant for either the Reds or Athletics last season, but pitching to a 4.35 ERA in just over 165 innings is certainly respectable. If the baseball gets dulled down a little bit in 2020 it’s easy to envision his productivity enjoying a significant uptick.

Obviously, the need to sign a pitcher like Roark would go away if the Yankees are able to land either Cole or Strasburg for the front end of the rotation. If neither of those aces do end up in the Bronx, the organization is going to look to add depth to the starting rotation after the bullpen was counted on to pick up entirely too much slack last season.

Roark would represent a nice, safe option that Cashman could likely sign for an affordable price. The Yankees won’t go crazy by offering him a long-term deal, but something short at a reasonable number would represent good value for the team’s front office.

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