New York Yankees Rumors: Should The Yankees Target Stephen Strasburg?

By Caleb Gebrewold | Oct 23, 2015

On paper, the New York Yankees rotation looks very strong and filled with depth. The Yankees have seven capable starters fighting for five rotation spots, with other options waiting in the wings. Unfortunately for the organization, the game is not played on paper, and the rotation is filled with question marks, as every starter has either health or consistency issues, some possessing both.

With so many starters and the organization reluctant to sign players on the wrong side of 30 to long-term deals, would it make sense for the team to turn to the trade market to pursue a starter such as Stephen Strasburg?

Strasburg entered the MLB with plenty hype as the first overall pick in 2009, and a quick promotion, debuting less than a year later, but like many of the Yankees starters, there are questions about Strasburg’s durability, as he most recently was sidelined by an oblique injury in 2015.

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Even with the injury, Strasburg finished the season going 11-7 with a 3.46 ERA and 155 strikeouts compared to just 26 walks across 127 1/3 IP. He is just one year removed from striking out 242 batters, which gave him a share of the league lead in the National League, although he pitched 28 1/3 innings less than Johnny Cueto, who also struck out 242.

Strasburg, 27, is still young, and has shown that when healthy, he can be one of the best pitchers in baseball. Across parts of six seasons, Strasburg has piled up 901 strikeouts in just 776 2/3 IP, while also having a very respectable 3.09 ERA.

Would his ability to pitch translate to the American League, particularly the American League East? For a pitcher as talented as Strasburg, one would have to assume that it would. With only one year of team control remaining, if Strasburg could be acquired for a package built around Brett Gardner, Ivan Nova, and lower-level prospects, then this is a move the Yankees must make.

This move could also allow the Yankees to pursue either Jason Heyward, Justin Upton or Yoenis Cespedes during free agency, while giving the Yankees a young rotation built for the future, consisting of Strasburg, Masahiro Tanaka, Luis Severino, Michael Pineda, and Nathan Eovaldi. Maybe Strasburg could even help convince his current-teammate, and noted Yankees fan, Bryce Harper to join him in pinstripes down the line.

What do you think Yankees fans? Should the organization pursue Strasburg? If so, what would you give up to make the move happen? Let us know in the comments below.

Next: New York Yankees Rumors: Mark Teixeira Gives Yankees the 'Ok' to Trade Him?

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