Yankees free agent pitcher commanding a massive bill

The New York Yankees may very well lose one of their starting pitchers to free agent, as they’re expected to command a hefty contract.

When it comes to New York Yankees who are free agents, outfielder Aaron Judge easily tops the list in order of importance. Behind him was first baseman Anthony Rizzo, who the team quickly reached an agreement on a two-year, $40 million contract. The Yankees have 20 players hitting free agency, and one pitcher is gaining a ton of attention from interested teams.

According to MLB Network insider Mark Feinsand, starting pitcher Jameson Taillon’s market is “gaining steam” after impressing during Zoom meetings with teams. Feinsand says that the expectation is that he will sign a contract worth more than the four-year, $56 million contract Jon Gray signed with the Texas Rangers last season.

Yankees pitcher Jameson Taillon’s market reported ‘gaining steam’

Feinsand mentions in a subsequent tweet that Taillon is considered the best free agent starting pitcher behind Jacob deGrom, Justin Verlander, Carlos Rodon, and Kodai Senga.

Taillon joined the Yankees in 2021 following a trade with the Pittsburgh Pirates. In his first year with the team, Taillon compiled an 8-6 record, a 4.30 ERA, and a 1.206 WHIP while striking 140 strikeouts and 44 walks over 144.1 innings.

This past season, Taillon recorded a 3.91 ERA, a 1.128 WHIP, 151 strikeouts and 32 walks over 177.1 innings. Taillon tied a career-high in wins with 14.

The Yankees starting rotation as of this writing is led by All Stars Gerrit Cole and Nestor Cortes, followed by Luis Severino, Frankie Montas, and Domingo German. That’s just a reference for Yankees fans in case Taillon signs a big contract with another team.

If Taillon does exit, it will be interesting to see if the Yankees have any big plans to add a starting pitcher. Of course, that all hinges on how much owner Hal Steinbrenner and general manager Brian Cashman are willing to spend, since they are going to be offering a massive contract to Judge this offseason.