Yankees Failed To Sign Three High-Value Pitchers To The Staff This Offseason

The New York Yankees failed to sign three high-value pitchers this offseason who could have ultimately put them at an incredible advantage. The Yankees did successfully maneuver the offseason market, but definitely could have added some highly effective options to the pitching staff.

The Yankees entered the 2024 season with an established starting rotation and competitive bullpen. The pitching staff currently employed is among the strongest in the major leagues, but not nearly as strong as they could’ve been. 

Yankees Struck Out on Three High-Value Pitchers

As of May 4th, The Athletic had the Yankees ranked 11th of 30 teams for starting pitching rotations. They carry a five-man rotation with their ace Gerrit Cole currently on the injured list. The Yankees have a crafty handful of lefties in Nestor Cortes and Carlos Rodon. New York added Marcus Stroman to the mix and tossed in Clarke Schmidt for a rotational spot along with fifth man Luis Gil.

The bullpen, on the other hand, is where the current improvements could be made. The Yankees are not listed in the top 10 bullpens in MLB with regards to saves, and most specifically, holds. The standout mentionable bullpen name in the Yankees ‘pen is righty closer Clay Holmes. Holmes has 10 saves and one win in 15 games. Where can New York pad the bullpen reinforcements? Mid-relief and the set-up roles would be a key start, and one other starter to solidify an elite rotation. Ultimately, the Yankees failed to sign these three pitchers who would’ve juiced the back end of the rotation and the bullpen.

RHP Jordan Hicks

To push further enforcement in the back end of the relief game, Jordan Hicks could have been the man. Hicks competed in the American League East in 2023 with the Toronto Blue Jays. He was traded from the National League to help a Toronto bullpen in need. 

His primary role out of the bullpen was split between a set-up role and a closer role when Blue Jays closer Jordan Romano was unavailable. Between the two clubs last year, he pitched 65 2/3 innings with 81 strikeouts, 32 walks, a 3.28 ERA, and a 1.355 WHIP. 

Hicks offers a solid makeup as a pitcher with an effective pitch arsenal and explosive metrics. He has a five-pitch arsenal, starting with a heated four-seam fastball that touches up to 105 mph. He lives around 99-101 mph with good command. Hicks works a sweeper, sinker, and a split-finger. All of these options are fascinating, however the split-finger is his put-away pitch.

Currently, Hicks has a 1.000 win-loss percentage with a 1.59 ERA, 10 walks and 27 strikeouts for the San Francisco Giants. The fireballer righty would have been a compliment to the Yankees bullpen. His efforts would have been a good addition to the innings leading up to Clay Holmes’s closing role. Not only did the Yankees fail to sign Hicks, but he was probably never on the radar.

LHP Josh Hader

What’s better than a closer? Two…or three.  The Yankees at one point employed various hurlers who could fit or supplement the closer role. Aroldis Chapman was the main stopper in 2021. Dellin Betances showed potential in both the set-up and closer spot, and Chad Green also fit both roles. 

These pitchers went on to serve other clubs in various capacities. Imagine having that type of depth with situational saviors?  The Yankees could have invested in a similar type of situation that would sharpen the end of the bullpen. 

Clay Holmes is putting on a show in the Yankees’ ninth innings and has earned his role. Closers tend to go down for periods of time, and the Yankees would want to have a solid option to shut the door for a win. The New York Mets’ Edwin Diaz scenario taught us a lot. 

Just like a six-man rotation or the Tampa Bay Rays tendency of starting relievers and then summoning a starter, a battery-pack closer situation would be a real benefit. Whichever way you look at it, Josh Hader would have been a good addition to the Yankees bullpen, platooning a closer role with Holmes. 

The current Houston Astros closer is in his ninth big league season, most recently with the San Diego Padres. Across eight-plus seasons, he has 167 saves with an overall 2.62 ERA, 669 strikeouts, and only 163 walks. 

The lefty has a slim menu led by a sinker at 96-97 mph, a slider, and a changeup. His slider is his put-away option while the sinker is commanded to work the zone, replacing a four-seamer. Hader is a very effective and dependable arm to secure victories. 

Holmes is signed through 2024, becoming a free agent in 2025. Hader would’ve been a great long-term investment if the Yankees were on the fence about Holmes’ future with the club. 

RHP Yoshinobu Yamamoto

You can never have enough starting pitching in the American League East. Marcus Stroman was a great addition, but the Yankees could use more ammo. Right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto would’ve been that guy. Yamamoto was very much on the Bronx Bombers’ radar. However, they failed to acquire him as he intended to follow Shohei Ohtani.  Yamamoto would have offered the rotation a strong four or five-arm to solidify the bullpen. The Japanese right-hander has started the season strong. In seven starts he’s 3-1 with a 2.91 ERA. Yamamoto has 42 strikeouts and only eight walks. This ace-like starter has various pitch options and will toy with hitters, utilizing his options and consistent command. Unfortunately, Yamamoto joined the list of high-value pitchers the Yankees missed out on this offseason.