New York Yankees should already be thinking about trading for one of these pitchers
By Ryan Morik
It’s never too early to start thinking about pitchers the New York Yankees should trade for this season.
The signing of Gerrit Cole almost immediately made the Yankees World Series favorites, if they weren’t already. But with Luis Severino out for the year, the rotation seems incomplete.
Gerrit Cole signed a nine-year, $324 million deal with the Yankees in December to be their ace. The Yankees rotation has been an inconsistency of theirs for several years, but now, they have an undoubtedly top pitcher in the sport.
However, with Masahiro Tanaka and James Paxton set to hit the free agent marker after this season, and Luis Severino out until at least the start of 2021 after undergoing Tommy John surgery, after Cole, the rest of the rotation is a question mark.
Here are a handful of pitchers the Yankees should (realistically) target for depth and a rotation beyond this season.
Chicago Cubs. Kyle Hendricks. 9. Scouting Report. P. 5. player. Pick Analysis
The Cubs are in limbo.
After finally winning the World Series in 2016, the Cubs have fallen off, and they missed the postseason last year for the first time since 2014.
Hendricks signed a four-year extension last year, but if the Cubs struggles continue, and Kris Bryant trade rumors keep heating up, the Yankees might be able to take advantage and get the righty.
In that World Series year, Hendricks led all of baseball with a 2.13 ERA and finished in third place in that season’s National League Cy Young Award voting. Since then, he has been very reliable for the Cubbies, pitching to a 3.33 ERA in 87 starts.
It’s a more-than-affordable deal for the Yankees, too, as Hendricks will be making no more than $14 million a year for the duration of the contract – outside of a possible $16 million hit in 2024, an option year.
To put that into perspective, Masahiro Tanaka, who is older than Hendricks, is making $23 million this year, while his lowest ERA over the last three seasons is 3.75. Hendricks’ highest in that span is 3.46
So not only are the Yankees saving money in the long run, but one could argue they’d be getting a better pitcher, too.