With no Ohtani, the Yankees should make CC a priority

With the Yankees officially being eliminated from the Shohei Ohtani sweepstakes, the need to bring back veteran lefty CC Sabathia has never been more evident.

Following a very strong 14-5 campaign with a 3.69 ERA in 27 starts, the 37-year old re-established himself as a prominent figure in the Yankees rotation.

“I want to be a part of something that I started,” Sabathia said regarding his opinion on returning to the Bronx.

With the clear need for another starter, he may get that chance. As of today, the Yankees own a rotation of Luis Severino-Masahiro Tanaka-Sonny Gray-Jordan Montgomery, with the 5th spot up in the air, as they head into the Winter Meetings.

It’s no secret that in order to survive a full season, a team certainly requires at least six or seven starting pitchers, along with a reliable swingman here and there.

With that said, the likelihood general manager Brian Cashman adds another trusted, reliable starter is almost guaranteed.

More from Yankees News

• Diamondbacks outfielder’s comment on Carlos Rodón’s IG raises eyebrows
• Aaron Judge Time interview scared Yankees as much as it scared you
• Why weren’t Yankees in on Kodai Senga now that we know the price?
• Baseball Reference proves Yankees’ Aaron Judge lives rent free in Boston
• Yankees’ Clay Holmes trade just became even bigger disaster for Pirates

An arm like Alex Cobb, who owns a career 3.50 ERA in six big league seasons, could be a viable option. Predicted to land around a $12 million AAV, he plays along the same lines as Sabathia does, as a relatively cheap alternative to a free agent pitcher like Jake Arrieta or Yu Darvish.

With the clear-cut goal of the offseason being to get under the $197 million luxury tax threshold, any big name contract is likely to be avoided. So to all the fans who dream of J.D. Martinez in pinstripes for the 2018 season, I wouldn’t get your hopes up.

Although no set price has been named, Sabathia isn’t expected to command anywhere near the $25 million he received in 2017, but that isn’t to say the big fella won’t get his fair share.

Whether or not Sabathia is willing to return on a one-year deal could end up being the deciding factor.

However, as one of the more notable starting pitchers on the market, the idea of Sabathia receiving multi-year deal offers isn’t out of the question. You can bet there are teams desperate enough for pitching to give him more than just a one-year deal.

Although the Yankees offering Sabathia multiple years is a stretch, that doesn’t mean they will just let him walk away. After all, CC was critical to the Yankees’ regular and postseason success.

In 11 regular season starts following a loss, he went undefeated, 9-0 with a 1.71 ERA.

Next: Prospect Estevan Florial continues to shine

Of course, you can’t expect the same production in 2018, but somewhere along the lines of a sub 4.00 ERA is certainly within the realm of possibility. It will likely come down to Sabathia and the Yankees’ mutual willingness to reach a short-term deal that seems fit for both sides.