Yankees: No, Joe Musgrove is not a suitable trade candidate for rotation

The Yankees do not need another semi-fringe starter like Joe Musgrove.

New York Yankees fans were intrigued when the rumored trade talks with the Pittsburgh Pirates emerged. Though nobody really cared about the Bombers acquiring Josh Bell since everyone prefers Luke Voit, the idea of adding a guy like Jameson Taillon to the starting rotation was one many were on board with.

But now that’s likely no longer a reality since the Pirates still view the right-hander highly and want a significant package in return despite the fact he’s made just seven starts since the beginning of 2019 after a battle with testicular cancer and a second Tommy John surgery.

With that, the Yankees should be done in exploring deals with the Pirates. Some are trying to convince themselves that Joe Musgrove could be an option for the Bombers rotation, but we’d like to lay out why that shouldn’t even be considered.

First of all, Musgrove, one could argue, is a triggering name for Yankees fans. He was the headliner in the trade package that went to Houston in exchange for Gerrit Cole a few years back. Remember? When the Pirates turned down a reported offer of Clint Frazier and Miguel Andújar and instead opted for the Astros’ package of spare parts/garbage?

Yup, that kept the Yankees from winning a World Series in 2018 and/or 2019.

Aside from that history, however, Musgrove just isn’t a guy who will provide the upgrade the Yankees’ rotation needs. He’s 28 years old and owns a 4.33 ERA and 1.23 WHIP in 108 career games (83 starts). He doesn’t strike out a lot of batters. Though he possesses a five-pitch mix, the Yankees aren’t exactly known for getting the most out of what some would consider underachieving pitchers.

If the Yankees had a stable rotation in any capacity beyond Cole, perhaps we could advocate for such a move. Musgrove feels like a shrewd addition for a team looking for formidable depth in the No. 4 or No. 5 spots, not a team desperately in need of a No. 2 arm. In this scenario, Musgrove would only displace one of the Yankees’ young arms that fans have been wanting to see. If somebody is going to do that, it better be a pitcher who is going to elevate the team from the jump.

A quasi-experimental project like Musgrove, who only brings back bad memories for Yankees fans, is far from the answer.

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