Yankees should pursue forgotten free agent Chris Archer

OK, I now think the Yankees should go after Chris Archer. F me, right?

While the Yankees and Chris Archer haven’t been a match at any point in their collective histories, the righty’s low water mark and the slow-moving 2020-21 offseason have officially gotten both parties in the same realm, with a logical end in sight.

Every projection about Archer’s 2021 comeback has to come with the caveat that thoracic outlet syndrome, the shoulder-related malady he’s attempting to return from, can potentially end future entreaties before they even start. It’s unraveled careers before, like Josh Beckett’s.

But every projection for the Yankees’ 2021 rotation includes between three and four unproven arms. So, at this point of the offseason, what have we got to lose?

Archer showed up for the first time in a long time on Monday afternoon throwing in a facility with Dodgers regalia on the wall, which reminded me of his existence, upside and affable attitude, all of which could be rotation boons if he still has the stuff to stick.

Archer has, previously, struck me as someone the Yankees should pass on, a peripherals darling prone to giving up too many home runs who’d lost a step or two. But even in a catastrophic 2019, his K rate was still special (10.75/9 innings) and his xFIP still sat at 4.36, well below his ERA of 5.19 and FIP of 5.02. There was a ceiling that had still yet to be hit, prior to his recent shoulder issues. If he’s retained his stuff, there’s still a possibility he could be maximized. And now his price has dropped to the point where I’d be more than willing to give him a look.

Objectively, it’s more likely a rebuilding team with a larger number of rotation spots will be the one to take a chance on Archer.

But the Yankees should be thinking about their rotation as if they’re a risk-taking rebuilding team. With almost nothing assured at the moment, no number of low-dollar additions is too large!

The modest Chris Archer projections show a strikeout machine with four-starter upside, and at his current price, which shouldn’t be more than $3 or $4 million for a prove-it campaign, there’s no reason left to be stubbornly pessimistic on his potential impact.

As far as this offseason’s reclamation projects go, he’s a notch below only Corey Kluber for me.

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