The Yankees need to bolster their starting rotation through free agency but don’t have big bucks to spend. Here are 5 cheaper options for Brian Cashman.
Last year, the Yankees spent a small fortune to sign Gerrit Cole to strengthen the top of their rotation. Brian Cashman and his front office don’t have the same spending power this offseason. If New York wants to land an impact starter, they’ll need to uncover a hidden gem.
Fortunately, there are plenty of intriguing options available via free agency. The trick for Cashman will be finding the right distressed asset to gamble on. Yankees fans should keep a particularly close eye on the following five starters as potential under-the-radar targets to land in the Bronx.
5
Carlos Rodon
LHP Last Team: Chicago White Sox
There aren’t any real questions about Rodon’s talent. The 6-foot-3 southpaw has nasty stuff when he’s at his best. The problem is his complete inability to stay healthy. That’s why the White Sox chose to let him hit free agency in the first place.
He’s not a guy the Yankees should ever count on to stay healthy for a full season, but he could be an interesting gamble for the organization to take. A short-term deal that offers Rodon plenty of performance-related incentives could benefit everyone involved.
The Yankees will need to do extensive work on Rodon’s medical records before they consider adding him to the roster. If their doctors believe his injury issues might be behind him, he’s absolutely worth a flier. Rodon shouldn’t enter the 2021 campaign as a lock to be a member of Aaron Boone’s five-man rotation, but he could turn into an impact starter down the stretch if everything breaks right.
The odds favor Rodon staying in Chicago, but if his free agency drags on it’s easy to envision a scenario where the Yankees give him a chance to rehabilitate his value in the Bronx. New York could do a lot worse than gambling on this former first rounder.