Yankees Rumors: Interest shown in Kluber, Carrasco and Paxton

Despite re-signing C.C. Sabathia for one more season, the Yankees are still in need of a bonafide ace and therefore are gauging the costs of Cleveland starters Corey Kluber and Carlos Carrasco, as well as James Paxton of the Mariners.

I’ve been saying it since the regular season came to an end and I’ll continue to beat the drum until it comes to fruition, but for the Yankees to make a serious run at a title in 2019, they need to put together a World Series caliber starting rotation.

Re-signing C.C. Sabathia for one-year, $8 million doesn’t necessarily preclude the club from also bringing back J.A. Happ, but keeping both lefty’s, already in their late 30s doesn’t leave much room for a free agent signing such as Patrick Corbin, a trade for a front-line starter and the use of a young arm like Justus Sheffield or Jonathan Loaisiga.

Naturally, swinging a deal for the likes of Corey Kluber, Carlos Carrasco or James Paxton would likely include at least one of the Yanks’ promising young pitching prospects.

It would be interesting if Cleveland, who according to Jon Heyman, are open to trading everyone outside of Jose Ramirez and Francisco Lindor, would accept a trade involving Sheffield and Clint Frazier — whom they originally sent to the Yankees for Andrew Miller.

More from Yankees Rumors

• 4 blockbuster trade targets that could be Yankees next ‘big’ move
• MLB Network Radio host thinks Yankees should shell out for Dansby Swanson
• Did wild Max Fried trade rumor give Yankees perfect fallback plan?
• Yankees’ reported backup plan if Carlos Rodón falls through will crush Red Sox
• 5 former All-Stars Yankees can still target this offseason

Kluber is a Cy Young finalist yet again and is coming off a 20-7 record, 2.89 ERA, 0.99 WHIP and 222 strikeouts in 215 innings. At 32, Kluber suffered another rocky postseason performance against the Astros where he allowed four earned runs (three home runs) in 4.2 innings — picking up the loss.

Signed in 2019 for an extremely reasonable $15 million, Kluber’s deal has two club options for $15.5 million in 2020 and $16 million in 2021. A $1 million team buyout exists for both seasons, as well as $4 million in incentives.

Carrasco, 31, is signed in 2019 at $9.7 million and another $9.5 million club option or $662.5k buyout in 2020. Perhaps less expensive regarding what a possible trade package would look like, Carrasco went 17-10 with a 3.36 ERA, 1.125 WHIP and 231 strikeouts in 192 innings in ’18.

Then there’s Jeff Passan, who reports that the Mariners are considering a full-fledged rebuild — thereby making 29-year-old left-hander James Paxton available.

Paxton put together an excellent season, highlighted by a May no-hitter, albeit for a mediocre Mariners club. Paxton went 11-6 with a 3.76 ERA and 1.098 WHIP with career-highs in strikeouts (208) and innings pitched (160.1).

Entering his second year of arbitration, MLB Trade Rumors estimates he’ll command $9 million — which again, is only $1M more than the Yankees just gave Sabathia. Here’s hoping general manager Brian Cashman can quickly work his magic for one of these three top-flight pitchers.