All year, New York Yankees General Manager Brian Cashman has heard the same complaints. This team needs more starting pitching. Well, early indications say that Cashman may be prepared to finally make that big splash.
Bring me Gerrit Cole and Stephen Strasburg.
I needed to get that off my chest. The thought of adding both Cole and Strasburg to the rotation is too much for my brain to process rationally. It’s like that feeling when you’re a kid at a birthday party and eat a great piece of ice cream cake. Then you turn around and there’s a giant plate of chocolate chip cookies.
The reason for my excitement is that New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman told Andy Martino of SNY that he will be in on Cole and/or Strasburg.
Brian Cashman confirms yankees will be in on Cole and or Strasburg. This ain’t Harper/Machado
— Andy Martino (@martinonyc) November 12, 2019
This is coupled with a report that Cashman is under no obligation from ownership to stay under the luxury tax.
Cashman also said he has no directive from ownership to stay under the luxury tax
— Andy Martino (@martinonyc) November 12, 2019
That means the only reason for the Yankees not to get at least one of Cole or Strasburg is that Cashman thinks there are better ways to utilize the money.
In my humble opinion, adding one ace of this caliber would be more useful than upgrading every other spot in the organization. Cole and Strasburg are the real deal. A trio of Cole/Strasburg, Luis Severino and James Paxton is incredible.
A rotation of Severino, Paxton, Cole and Strasburg is lethal.
At the end of the day, one of the factors that led to a disappointing end to the 2019 season was the lack of starting pitching. Ironically, the starters made up one of the only bright spots of the playoffs. But the inconsistency of the rotation during the year forced bullpen overuse and took away the Yankees’ greatest advantage when they needed it most.
If Brian Cashman wants to leave the rest of the league behind in 2020, he’ll go after both Cole and Strasburg. With no luxury tax to worry about, I expect Cashman to sign at least one of them.
I strongly prefer he sign both, though.
