Yankees number one priority should be to acquire starting pitching

A big question surrounding the Yankees this offseason is starting pitching. It should be their number one priority moving forward. One of the first questions starts with JA Happ.

Does J.A., the 36-year-old lefty have enough in the tank to make an impact in the Yankees rotation next year? Happ was big time for the Yanks down the stretch. In 11 starts, he posted a 7-0 record with 2.69 ERA.  Happ was one of the main reasons the club was able to secure home-field advantage in the Wild Card game.

However, is it worth bringing him back for another year? Right now, the Yanks starting five for 2019 is unclear as C.C. Sabathia’s future in pinstripes in uncertain.

I love Sabathia. He is all-time time favorite Yankees, but this might be the year they part ways. Jordan Montgomery had Tommy John surgery back in June, and it is likely he will miss most of next season.

So then I’m all in on re-signing Happ. I think the Yanks should be too.  He proved that he can still pitch at a high level and the Yanks need every quality arm they could get.

More from Yankees News

• Yankees chose worst possible player to ring in New Year on 2023 team calendar
• Yankees make upside play, sign former Rangers top prospect outfielder
• Michael Kay’s Anthony Volpe story will get Yankees fans amped for Opening Day
• No, Yankees should not acquire Trevor Bauer for 2023
• Yankees’ Marwin González replaces Red Sox LF in Japan in logical next step

But, Happ is most likely going to want a three-year deal.  Does New York really want to lock him up until he turns 39? If Happ is willing to sign a one-year contract, then there is no question on whether or not to pull the trigger. Regardless, there are going to be other teams trying to make a move for him.

A lot of fans are hoping the Yankees go all in on Patrick Corbin from the Diamondbacks. Corbin is a 29-year-old left-hander who posted a 3.16 ERA over 200 innings pitched this year. He also had a career high 11.9 K’s per 9 innings. Those are great numbers, and he’s a valuable lefty that would be added to the top of the Yankee starting rotation.

Corbin is one of the best free agent pitchers on the market right now.  According to reports, Corbin grew up a Yankees fan, and has talked about wanting to play in pinstripes on numerous occasions. He would most likely be looking at a five-year contract ranging from 20-25 million a season which the Yankees can handle. There is a good chance we’ll be seeing him in pinstripes next year.

Next, we have good ol’ Madison Bumgarner. I love Bumgarner. The guy is a stud, and at 29 years old, the lefty still has a lot in the tank — and his stuff is lights out when he’s on. Not to mention, Bumgarner is an absolute beast in the postseason. He has a 2.11 postseason ERA in 102 innings pitched.

The only catch is that the Yanks will probably have to give up some top talent for Bumgarner.   However, it’s worth it for a player of his caliber.

If you want to think outside the box, then Nathan Eovaldi could be another option for the Yankees. Eovaldi is going to a free agent after this season, and the Yanks could be in the mix to bring back their former right-hander.

This is highly unlikely, but he is someone to take a look at. If the Yankees miss out on Corbin, then Eovaldi could be on the table. Eovaldi can be very inconsistent at times but has been absolutely dominant in the postseason this year.

I feel a lot of Yankees fans would be skeptical about bringing Eovaldi back after the way he finished off with the team. In his last year in the Bronx in 2016, Eovaldi pitched to a 4.97 ERA over 124 innings pitched. However, its slim pickings out there, so he is someone to keep an eye on.

Let’s not forget about Justus Sheffield either. We saw glimpses of him late in the season. There’s no question he has some great stuff, but he did struggle with the Yanks in the couple innings he pitched. But it’s too early to tell with the small sample size we got. If the Yanks make a move on Bumgarner, then Sheffield is most likely gone.

There are several other guys to keep an eye on as well: Dallas Kuechel, Charlie Morton and Gio Gonzalez all hit free agency this winter.