Yankees singled out in MLB insider's report about bleak free agent fit

Will Noah Syndergaard become the first pitcher to shrug off the recommendations of the Dodgers pitching lab and actually improve? Only time will tell -- and if time does tell, it's going to do so loudly while letting everyone know.

Syndergaard was plucked up by the Dodgers last offseason after a middling campaign (featuring solid control and some short spurts of effectiveness) split between Anaheim and the World Series runner-up Philadelphia Phillies. He left midseason in an Amed Rosario swap, and departed with some lingering bitterness about LA's tinkering.

Now? He's untethered entering February, but the good news for Thor is that everyone else is, too.

That's left him in the workout stage, and MLB insider Jon Heyman noted on Tuesday that 15 teams reportedly attended a recent bullpen session, leaving with the impression that Syndergaard was hitting the mid-90s. Among those teams, and the only club Heyman mentioned by name? Your New York Yankees.

Yankees could be part of Noah Syndergaard's comeback trail (or not)

Hey, remember when the Yankees were going to trade for Syndergaard and surrender Gary Sánchez? Or maybe that was a three-way deal to net JT Realmuto? Regardless, crazy times (that did not happen and the Yankees simply signed Troy Tulowitzki instead, which worked out).

Look. If Syndergaard felt he was ready to accept a minor-league pact, the Yankees (and the fan base) would welcome the wild swing. But he doesn't seem likely to settle in that range considering the vaunted Dodgers guaranteed him $13 million -- coming off a down year -- last winter. Even after a season of soul-searching, he likely still believes he's owed a big-league guarantee and $8-10 million. Frankie Montas got $16+ million for pitching a single inning last year. We're in the endtimes.

Just one week ago, FanSided's Robert Murray noted the Pittsburgh Pirates have shown recent interest in Syndergaard. It's probably best for the Yankees to leave this one to Bob Nutting.

Then, if Syndergaard turns it around, the Yankees can offer the evolutionary version of Miguel Yajure and recently-DFA'd infielder Diego Castillo in exchange for the righty at the deadline.