Even after signing CC Sabathia to a one-year deal, Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said that the Yankees still intend to add "multiple" starting pitchers at last week's general managers' meetings. It's really not a surprise that the Yankees are targeting pitching this offseason since additional starting pitchers are a necessity in the Bronx for the 2019 season.
Here's a look at some of the best free agent starting pitchers and why they'd be a good fit for the Yankees:
The Yankees need more left-handed starters, and Corbin would be a solid one to pursue this offseason. The Yankees tried to acquire Corbin last offseason, so there is clearly a high-level of interest for the southpaw. And the interest appears to be mutual as Corbin, a New York native, told USA Today in April that "it would definitely be great to play there. My whole family are Yankees fans." He would be a worthy investment for the Yankees, especially since Corbin will most likely be looking for a multiyear deal. Corbin, at 29, is coming off an All-Star season in which he threw 200 innings with a 3.15 ERA. He will likely be the highest paid left-handed in this year's free agent class, but Corbin would be worth spending for since the Yankees would be gaining a relatively young and reliable starter.
Despite a slow start to the 2018 season, Dallas Keuchel recorded a 3.48 ERA over his final 21 outings. The Yankees are already familiar with Keuchel — he silenced the Bronx Bombers in the 2015 American League Wild Card game — the same year he won his first Cy Young award. Keuchel's career regular-season ERA at Yankee Stadium is 2.45 in 33 innings pitched. He will be 31 in 2019, and while he's not a big power guy, Keuchel relies on late movement on both his two-seam fastball and his change-up to quiet batters. He'd have to lose the beard, but the the lefty would make a nice upgrade to the Yankees' rotation.
The Yankees and J.A. Happ are a really great match. Happ was a fantastic pickup for New York in July, going 7-0 with a 2.69 ERA through his 63 2/3 regular-season innings with the Yankees. He added reliability and stability to a shaky Yankees' starting rotation. Happ told MLB Network that a potential return with the Yankees next season is exciting because "they're trying to win every year." The 36-year-old will likely be looking for a two or three-year deal this offseason, and it probably won't come cheap. But he's among the best free agent pitchers available, and the Yankees' rotation would benefit from a few more years with a left-hander who can provide length as a starter.
With the Cleveland Indians looking to cut payroll this offseason, it's a big possibility that they could end up dealing either Corey Kluber or Carlos Carrasco, and the Yankees reached out to the Indians about both pitchers. But if it ends up that Cleveland isn't willing to part with one of its ace in Kluber, then Carrasco would be a solid No. 2 option for the Yankees. The 31-year-old, who is under contract through the 2020 season at a total cost of $19.5 million, finished the 2018 season with 17 wins, a 3.38 ERA, 1.13 WHIP and 231 strikeouts in 192 innings.
Paxton is coming off two impressive seasons with the Mariners, posting a 2.98 ERA in 2017 and 3.76 in 2018. He was 11-6 this year in a career-high 28 starts and struck out 208 in 160 1/3 innings. With the Yankees looking to add starters that can go the distance, Paxton is a good fit. The Yankees' starters averaged just 5 1/3 innings in 2018. Paxton lead the American League with two complete games last season. He also pitched at least seven innings 11 times and went into the eighth inning twice. The Yankees have already spoken with Seattle about Paxton, and it's easy to see why he would appeal to the Yankees.
