MLB Rumors: Phillies ace backup plan, Yankees-Hader, Red Sox not done yet
- Phillies interested in potential Zack Wheeler insurance
- Josh Hader could be Yankees pivot option
- Red Sox could be active in starting pitcher market after all
MLB Rumors: Josh Hader could be Yankees pivot option
For much of this offseason, it felt like the New York Yankees were destined to land both Juan Soto and Yoshinobu Yamamoto and pull themselves right back into World Series contention. They got Soto, but lost out on Yamamoto to the Dodgers, raising the question about what's next.
Jim Bowden of MLB Network is making it seem like Jordan Montgomery is their new top target. Whether that's true or not is unclear, but the fit does make some sense. The Yankees could use another starter, and Montgomery is one of the best ones available. The problem is there's a good chance Montgomery won't even consider the Yankees because they traded him just a couple of seasons ago. He has since flourished into one of the best left-handed starting pitchers in the game.
If Montgomery is off the board, Bowden notes that the Yankees could be a team to pivot to Josh Hader. The market surrounding Hader has been pretty quiet, but Bowden notes that he's searching for a contract larger than the five-year $102 million commitment Edwin Diaz got from the Mets. He doesn't believe the Yankees will give that to him but believes the Yankees could be interested in some capacity if they don't land Montgomery.
The Yankees' rumored interest in Hader does make some sense, as the team could use another reliable reliever to join the likes of Clay Holmes and Tommy Kahnle in the back end of their bullpen. There's a good chance the Yankees would have the best bullpen in baseball if they add Hader to the group they have.