Five Ways the Yankees Can Shore Up the 2017 Pitching Staff

Adding Starting Pitching Depth

At the time, one of the most controversial moves of last winter was trading left-handed reliever Justin Wilson to the Detroit Tigers for two virtually unknown minor league pitchers. Now, it looks like yet another master trade by Cashman, and arguably the most important transaction of the offseason.

Wilson had been dominant (3.10 ERA and 2.69 FIP) for New York in 2015, but with so many injury questions among the club’s starting five, something needed to be done to give the rotation a safety net. Luis Cessa was excellent in Double-A, but got destroyed in Triple-A the previous year, and Chad Green was just OK for Double-A Erie.

There was little to suggest either could step right into a big league rotation this season and find success, but that is exactly what happened. The front office obviously liked something they saw from the pair and it paid off in a big way.

In his recent press conference, Cashman cited that trade as the type of move the Yankees will again look to make this winter. The team already has a number of talented, but unproven arms as candidates for the rotation in guys like Cessa, Green, Bryan Mitchell, Luis Severino, but that shouldn’t prevent them from bringing in more.

There’s no much thing as too much pitching. Guys will get hurt, struggle, and flame-out next year or even before. Dealing from their big league outfield depth seems like one move, maybe Brett Gardner to a team rich in young pitching like the Washington Nationals?

Another option is to cash in some of the talented, but far off position player chips in the lower-levels of the system for someone closer to the big leagues.