Yankees Should Look to Add September Starter for Postseason Run

The New York Yankees should consider a September trade to try and patch up their faltering starting rotation for a last-ditch playoff push.

While it’s true that any player acquired after September 1st is not eligible for a club’s postseason roster, trades are still able to be made this month. With the New York Yankees starting rotation falling apart down the seams, the front office needs to scour the market for available arms to help keep the team afloat in the playoff race.

Newbie starters Luis Cessa and Bryan Mitchell are largely responsible for the team’s back-to-back losses that followed their seven game win streak. While I’m not advocating either guy be yanked from the rotation immediately because of one bad start, it would certainly be nice to have a safety net.

After losing Nathan Eovaldi and Chad Green to elbow injuries, New York is running out of viable starters to call up if they do decide they want to make a change. Chance Adams and Dietrich Enns have both been pulled from starting duties because of innings limits, and the team doesn’t want to add Jordan Montgomery to the 40-man a full year before he is Rule 5 eligible just for a few starts this month. 

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Who else can the team turn to? Richard Bleier has a 2.50 ERA in 18 IP as the team’s long reliever and was a serviceable stater in Triple-A, but I doubt any fans would be thrilled to see him taking the ball every fifth day in a playoff race.

If the Yankees were to add someone, they certainly aren’t going to be an ace at this point. They are limited to players who cleared waivers or are not on a team’s 40 man roster. It’s worth remembering that Brian Cashman made this type of move as recently as 2013 when they brought in Brendan Ryan to serve as Derek Jeter insurance. Here are a few possibilities of guys Cashman could consider:

– Ervin Santana: The 33-year-old has been a remarkably consistent number three type starter in his career. He has not posted an ERA over 4.00 in any of his last seven seasons and would have reached the 150 inning mark every year during that span if it wasn’t for his PED suspension. 

A durable innings eater for the middle of the rotation is exactly what the Yankees need this season and next. Santana is in the second year of a four year $55 million contract with a team option. While that may seem pricey, that is what pitching costs these days. He’s probably the best option available at this point and comes with the added benefit of being a long-term solution.

– Andrew Cashner: He’s already been traded once this year, from the Padres to the Marlins at the deadline, but with Miami now out of contention, they would probably have no problem flipping Cashner to the Yankees for a little salary relief.

Before this season, Cashner had put together three solid seasons in San Diego’s rotation, so it may be worth seeing if New York’s coaching staff can get him right. The 30-year-old is a free agent following the season, so they could even consider locking him up for next year at a discount if they see something in him.

Jorge De La Rosa: Another potential minor salary dump, De La Rosa is finishing the second year of the two year $25 million pact he signed with the Rockies before 2015. While he sports an ugly 5.00 ERA in 126 IP on the season, he has a 3.92 ERA in his last seven starts and has a good track record the past three years.

Next: Severino Following Same Path as Betances?

At 35, he would probably be open to a one year deal following the season to provide some depth for next year’s rotation as well.