Yankees: Annoying Blue Jays-James Paxton rumors make perfect sense

Yeah, of course the Blue Jays would eventually turn their attention to Canadian and former Yankees starter James Paxton.

Yankees fans can enjoy the Toronto Blue Jays’ currently-empty rotation for a few more days at least, but at some point, this team is going to buckle down and get Hyun-Jin Ryu at least a semblance of the help he needs.

After all, they’re clearly all in. They’re not stopping at building half a contending roster.

So, who’s it going to be? Is Toronto going to infringe on the Yankees’ territory and push all their chips in for Luis Castillo or Kyle Hendricks? Maybe. They could use a true centerpiece.

Before any of that craziness approaches reality, though, they might be the ones to take the dive for a solid bounce-back candidate who’s familiar with the AL East, is Canadian, and famously threw a no-hitter on their turf.

Of course the Blue Jays are interested in James Paxton! How could we be so stupid?

And, unlike the “So Close” Brigade in Boston, they could actually get this done.

Excepting his first-inning bugaboos, you’d be hard-pressed to find a Yankee fan who disliked Paxton — in other words, an Anti-Paxxer.

The lefty known as Big Maple went 15-6 with a 3.82 ERA and 186 whiffs in 150.2 innings in what was supposed to be his first of two full seasons in the Bronx. He was quite good, and his gumption in Game 5 of the ’19 ALCS against Houston will never be forgotten.

Unfortunately, he shrugged off several injuries that season, then got bitten by two big ones in a lost 2020 that featured offseason back surgery, followed by a pandemic (!), and then a flexor strain that ended his campaign.

Last year’s rotation was supposed to include Peak Paxton and Severino alongside Gerrit Cole and Masahiro Tanaka, and it simply didn’t. Intending to contend, the Blue Jays have first-hand evidence now that even four reliable arms might not be enough, and they’re looking to make a splash soon.

Wise.

Perhaps the Yankees should look in the mirror and take note of their own backyard.

Don’t get too upset when the Maple jumps ship to his native land, though. This is the roundest peg fitting in the roundest hole.

Yankees: 3 players who’ve likely played their last game in New York

These three Yankees (and, OK, fine, many others) have probably played their final games in New York following the 2020 MLB season.