Yankees linked to Red Sox starter looking for total turnaround in MLB comeback

And, just like that, an intriguing new left-handed bullpen option has emerged for the New York Yankees, who just might be able to add Tim Hill/Andrew Chafin and a multi-inning weapon before calling it a day.

The Yankees' addition of Max Fried left them with a seven-deep rotation (Will Warren notwithstanding), clearing a path for Nestor Cortes Jr. to be the centerpiece of a Devin Williams trade. Still, the club doesn't seem done tinkering, and Marcus Stroman's money will be off the books before spring training if the Yankees have their druthers.

That would leave the team with five trustworthy starters and a collection of prospects -- and, even if Stroman stays, they don't have anyone they can adequately count on out of the 'pen (before Luke Weaver comes in late) who can be trusted to erase multiple innings in the tradition of great swingmen of the past. That was Nestor's gig. Used to be Michael King's. Now it's ... stop making me type Will Warren, please.

According to the latest reporting, though, the Yankees' solution could come from an unlikely source: Kyle Hart, a Red Sox washout turned KBO force turned top-50 free agent in an under-the-radar offseason. The Yankees are one of five teams with noted interest in Hart, per The Athletic, joining a group that also includes the Orioles, Brewers, Astros and Twins.

Yankees among five teams pursuing left-hander Kyle Hart

Hart's KBO stretch and his MLB tenure could not be more polar opposite. Last season in Korea, he leaned heavily on his fastball, riding it to great success (a 2.69 ERA and 1.03 WHIP with 182 strikeouts in 157 innings).

Last time he reached the majors? 2020, in empty stadiums across America, Hart posted a 15.55 in four outings (three starts) with a doomed Red Sox club.

As Hart told MassLive's Chris Cotillo, his desire for a "prove it" big-league comeback is particularly high, given the personal embarrassment associated with his only cameo to date. In addition to battling his own expectations, Hart was reportedly fighting the effects of Lyme Disease during that awful MLB summer unlike any other.

He deserves a second chance and a requisite payday, and the Yankees' pitching lab would be a fantastic place for him to land.