Yankees Linked to $14 Million Pitcher to Bolster Starting Rotation

The New York Yankees became the first MLB team to reach 50 wins in 2024. They are going to get stronger with the return of reigning American League Cy Young Award winner Gerrit Cole. Could general manager Brian Cashman bolster the rotation with someone like Detroit Tigers pitcher Jack Flaherty?

Deesha Thosar of FOX Sports mentioned the right-hander as a potential option for the Yankees as the trade deadline approaches.

So far this season, the Tigers have underwhelmed. They have a 34-39 record heading into the games on June 19. That puts them 11.5 games out of first place in the American League Central. Detroit’s prospects of competing for the AL Wild Card have improved slightly.

They’re now 6.5 games behind the final playoff berth.

Manager A.J. Hinch’s club has yet to commit to selling at the trade deadline. However, if the Tigers do not correct their course during the next several weeks, they will most likely become one. However, it is not necessary to hold a full-fledged fire sale. Flaherty would be appealing because he has pitched well and will be a free agent this winter.

Flaherty is 4-4 with a 3.01 ERA, 0.95 WHIP, and 100 strikeouts over 77.2 innings (13 starts) on a one-year, $14 million contract.

Why Could Flaherty Be an Attractive Option for the Yankees?

 

 

Thosar believes the Yankees are interested in adding to the rotation mostly because of rookie sensation Luis Gil. He has a 2.03 ERA through 80 innings. His workload is likely to be his most pressing worry. The most innings he’s thrown in a professional season is 108.2, which he accomplished in 2021 while spending time between the majors and minors.

Gil, however, is not the only Yankees starter who may be concerned about his workload. “The rest of the Yankees rotation is in a similar situation as Gil.

Marcus Stroman has thrown 176 innings four times in his career, but Carlos Rodón has only surpassed it once (178 IP in 2022), and nobody of the remaining healthy starters (Nestor Cortes or Clarke Schmidt) has,” Thosar noted. “There are just not a lot of workhorses in the Yankees’ staff to maintain this run when paired with middle-of-the-road expected FIP [Fielder Independent Pitching].”

Thosar concluded with the following thought: “Perhaps right-hander Jack Flaherty is the man for the moment, since he hits free agency in the offseason and the Tigers could be shaping up to be sellers.”

There’s No Time for New York to Get Complacent

As of June 19, the Yankees boast baseball’s best record at 51-24. However, their divisional lead is the slimmest among all first-place teams, with New York ahead of the Baltimore Orioles by just 2.5 games. The Cleveland Guardians hold the second-narrowest lead, sitting 4.5 games above the Minnesota Twins. In contrast, every other division leader enjoys at least a 6.5-game cushion.

The Orioles are coming off a 101-win season and an AL East title in 2023. Their roster is packed with young talent, and according to MLB.com, they still have the best farm system in baseball. This gives them the prospects needed to make significant moves at the trade deadline.

While the Yankees are in a strong position, particularly with Cole nearing his return, they face potential workload issues with their current starters. With the Orioles closing in, adding pitching depth seems a wise move for Cashman and his team.