Yankees Reportedly Made Offer For Superstar Pitcher In Free Agency with Intention of Transformation
The New York Yankees may end up making another major move this offseason. New York currently is looking to improve its pitching in the organization. The Yankees have been targeting starting pitching help, but also need to add one or two high-impact relievers as well. If the Yankees were to miss out in free agency on a starting pitcher — like former Yankee Jordan Montgomery — they reportedly could pivot and look to land superstar closer Josh Hader, according to The Athletic’s Jim Bowden.
“(Josh Hader’s) looking for a deal north of Edwin Díaz,” Bowden said. “So it would be five years and over $100 million and so far no club has gone to that ballpark at least as of yet. But the three teams that are in play are the New York Yankees, the Texas Rangers, and the Los Angeles Dodgers. “What is very interesting here is it appears that all three of those teams prefer to sign a starter or trade for a starting pitcher rather than getting a closer. But for example, if the Yankees aren’t able to bring Jordan Montgomery back — which they’re hoping to do — they will not be afraid to pivot to get Hader.” Hader arguably is the best closer in baseball right now. The five-time All-Star compiled an eye-popping 1.28 ERA last season in 61 appearances for the San Diego Padres. He has three Trevor Hoffman National League Relief Pitcher of the Year Awards under his belt and is just 29 years old.
He is looking for a massive contract over $100 million, but if the Yankees miss out on a starter it could make sense to bring him in to add to an already stellar bullpen.
Their rotation depth is worse with Jhony Brito, Randy Vasquez and touted prospect Drew Thorpe also part of that blockbuster plus Luis Severino signing with the Mets, Domingo German gone and not coming back, Frankie Montas on the free agent market and maybe not returning, Luke Weaver gone, Double-A starter Richard Fitts sent
The Yankees’ farm system also lost a bunch of ranked starting pitcher prospects in trade-deadline deals two summers ago — Ken Waldichuk, JP Sears and Luis Medina to the Athletics, Hayden Wesneski to the Cubs.
And, of course, who can forget the Jordan Montgomery for Harrison Bader trade on Aug. 2, 2022? It made no sense then and looks a lot worse now that Montgomery made the Yankees look idiotic for not thinking he was worthy of a postseason rotation spot.
Monty sure showed ‘em playing a lead role in the Rangers’ title run last October.
The Yankees bullpen might be worse off, too. Scott Effross is returning from Tommy John surgery to add a quality late-inning option to a bullpen that had the lowest ERA in the majors last season and mediocre lefty Victor Gonzalez was acquired in a recent deal with the Dodgers, but those adds will be a wash if free agents Wandy Peralta and Keynan Middleton sign elsewhere, which is probable.
