New York Yankees Planning To Pursue Wei-Yin Chen

Following a busy day led by a pair of trades that sent Jose Pirela and John Ryan Murphy packing in exchange for Aaron Hicks and minor league pitcher Ronald Herrera, it seems as if the New York Yankees are just getting started.

According to Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News, sources close to him have revealed that the Yankees are preparing to make a serious run at left-handed pitcher Wei-Yin Chen, who pitched the past four seasons in the AL East as a member of the Baltimore Orioles.

"“A lot of teams are going to be in on him,” the source told Feinsand. “But the Yankees are going to be one of them.”"

Chen, who will turn 31 in the middle of the upcoming baseball season is a combined 46-32 with a 3.72 ERA since coming to the United States and playing in the MLB.

Aside from his durability, Chen is capable of providing the Yankees with something they so desperately need – a southpaw veteran with proven success in the American League.

Ever since Andy Pettitte retired after the 2013 season, the ‘big guy’ CC Sabathia has been the lone lefty in the Yankees regular starting rotation, and who knows if he’ll ever make another major league start.

Aside from that, the Yankees have the potential of losing Masahiro Tanaka (should he opt-out), Ivan Nova, Michael Pineda and Nathan Eovaldi to free agency within the next two years, which leaves Luis Severino and Adam Warren as the only two legitimate starters under team control through 2018. If all goes according to plan, James Kaprielian, Jeff Degano and others will be on the cusp of a major league debut by than, but there’s no telling what the future will hold. The bottom line is the Yankees need to acquire controllable pitching.

According to the same source, Chen is seeking a deal in the range of at least five years, meaning the Yankees can control him through 2020 should he sign to play in pinstripes.

General manager Brian Cashman revealed that he would like to balance out the starting rotation with a lefty, but his top priority is to improve the team regardless.

Stay tuned.

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