Yankees should sign Cardinals’ Molina-Wainwright package in free agency

Should the Yankees pursue Yadier Molina…AND Yadier Molina’s friend?!

The New York Yankees might not have a gaping hole at catcher after all, if they intend to tender a contract to Gary Sanchez.

But based on the way 2020 ended, you can’t be confident in Sanchez grabbing a starting role and running with it — after all, by the time October wrapped, he didn’t have one anymore.

Therefore, it’s only natural that fans have gravitated over the past few weeks towards the idea of instilling a “veteran, winning presence” behind the plate instead, signing Yadier Molina to finish his career in pinstripes while picking around in the Angels’ meager farm system for an adequate return for Sanchez.

Kind of fun in theory, kind of insane in practice. But what if the Yankees turned it into a two-fold move? Molina behind the plate, and his old friend Adam Wainwright on the mound on a one-year deal?

We know the skinny on Molina — still a reliable contact bat, surprising power as he’s aged (20 homers in 2018), and the glove of legends. But what about Wainwright?

Well, we’re working on two consecutive years of his injury troubles being miraculously behind him. Wainwright’s age-39 season in 2021 will come on the heels of a 5-3 record and 3.15 ERA. The full season before that, he bounced back from adversity to the tune of a 14-10, 4.19 mark in 171.2 innings pitched, then throwing 7.2 shutout (of course) against Atlanta in the NLDS. Vintage.

Wainwright’s cost would not be prohibitive, and he wants to continue pitching, despite the Baseball Gods seemingly telling him to hang it up following 2016, when age and injuries reared their ugly head (at just 34!).

And yes, he really has been around for quite a while.

Will this be a shrewd signing, or the Yankees’ foolish attempt at adding a wise old owl to the barn several years too late? Who’s to say? There’s a solid chance, though, that if the Yankees bring the entire battery in, they could be replicating some ’09 Andy Pettitte-style magic before this team’s window begins to close.

3 veteran free agent fits that would greatly help Yankees clubhouse morale

The New York Yankees should target these veterans in free agency to both bolster the roster and improve clubhouse morale/leadership.