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Yankees: 3 moves NYY can make while waiting for DJ LeMahieu

By Adam Weinrib

Oct 8, 2020; San Diego, California, USA; New York Yankees second baseman DJ LeMahieu (26) throws to first base to retire Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Willy Adames (not pictured) during the seventh inning of game four of the 2020 ALDS at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 8, 2020; San Diego, California, USA; New York Yankees second baseman DJ LeMahieu (26) throws to first base to retire Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Willy Adames (not pictured) during the seventh inning of game four of the 2020 ALDS at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports /
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CHICAGO, ILLINOIS – SEPTEMBER 26: Jon Lester #34 of the Chicago Cubs during the game against the Chicago White Sox at Guaranteed Rate Field on September 26, 2020 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Quinn Harris/Getty Images) /

1. Jon Lester

The Yankees can’t let the starting pitching market pass them by.

If Jon Lester’s going rate really is $5 million for a single year, as MLBTR seems to predict, then he’s a must. As is Cole Hamels. They’re both musts. Dual musts.

With Luis Severino on the shelf until mid-summer (and potentially with the reins still on for the entire year), and Domingo German suddenly very important, the Yankees will be letting the city down if the emerge from the offseason with the same rotation, as currently constructed.

This doesn’t mean they need to dip into the relative deep end for Jake Odorizzi or Tomoyuki Sugano and sacrifice their flexibility with LeMahieu’s deal. It just means they should definitely use some of that excess $10 million or so to bring in a veteran arm known for stardom on the biggest stage, instead of acting like they don’t have a few inches of wiggle room.

Jon Lester isn’t all-caps JON LESTER, or Chicago curse-breaking Jon Lester, or guaranteed seven innings Jon Lester from his Boston days anymore. In fact, in 2020, he wasn’t even very good, posting a 5.16 ERA and only striking out 42 in 61.0 innings of work. 2018 was his last great season (18-6, 3.32), and his 4.39 FIP that year predicted future regression. Even if Lester’s at a late-career Sabathia level of effectiveness, he’d be valuable to this team as an innings-eater.

And that’s the main thesis statement of this piece. Whether you believe there are game-changers on the market or not, the Yankees are being wise by waiting for LeMahieu’s deal to come together before taking any gigantic leaps.

But there’s enough untouched money in those conversations that they can get going plugging other holes without ever impacting their most significant chase. Lester’s one of those additional pieces they can simply have, so long as they stop waiting around.

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