3 free agents the Yankees must pair with Aaron Judge to take next step
By Mark Powell
The New York Yankees brought back Aaron Judge, which they had to do. Brian Cashman’s job is not done, however. What should their next decision be?
The Yankees Winter Meetings are officially off and running, and the end result cannot simply be that they signed Aaron Judge.
Much of the reason Judge stayed in The Bronx was because New York convinced him that even after spending $360 million over nine years of his services, they had more money to give out. The Yankees roster is significantly behind the likes of the Houston Astros.
While New York missed out on a few stars as they awaited Judge’s decision, and thus fully understood their financial outlook, there are still many key contributors available on the free-agent market.
So, where should the Yanks turn from here?
Yankees rumors: Sign Carlos Rodon
The Yankees and Carlos Rodon reportedly have mutual interest, per Andy Martino of SNY. With Aaron Judge’s contract now behind them, New York can focus on their rotation, as they lost the likes of Jameson Taillon to the Chicago Cubs late on Tuesday night.
“I’m hearing there’s mutual interest. That’s something that feels like it could be a fit. … Rodon has a very robust market. … The pitching market is way higher than anyone would’ve thought it was going to be. The Rodon market could get to a point where the Yankees are like, ‘we like him but this is crazy.’ But they are pursuing the the player. They have been talking and this is definitely something people could see happening. …. A potential fit,” Martino reported.
Rodon is the best pitcher left on the free-agent market. It explains why he has so many suitors, including the San Francisco Giants and Texas Rangers. The Giants interest is obvious, as he was among the leaders of their pitching staff last season, and now San Francisco has more money to play with. The Rangers, meanwhile, want another top-tier pitcher to pair with Jacob deGrom.