Yankees may have to opt for like rather than love to fill out rotation

Acquire players you want. Do not just fill positions.

Sounds simple. But at times of desperation you can begin to talk yourself into players/contracts you might like (or even less than that), but not love because there is a large hole on the roster.

The Yankees had a plan this offseason — Yama-Soto. They believed they would get both, right up to Yamamoto signing a 12-year, $325 million deal with the Dodgers.

For the Yankees, hitting .500 was bad.

Because their clearest path away from their 2023 “disaster” (Brian Cashman’s word) and to more familiar high-level contention was to significantly upgrade the offense and rotation. With Soto and without Yamamoto, the Yanks rotation is at the mercy of Gerrit Cole remaining unbreakable, Carlos Rodon and Nestor Cortes performing like 2022 All-Stars (26-12, 2.68 ERA in 59 starts) rather than the injury-struck duds of 2023 (8-10, 5.92 ERA in 26 starts), Clarke Schmidt adding better quality to the durability displayed in 2023 and a neophyte from among Clayton Beeter, Chase Hampton and Will Warren emerging as the No. 5 starter.

Enough fragility and uncertainty exists that I assumed the Yankees were going to try for both Yamamoto and the upside play of Frankie Montas. But Yamamoto had the dream scenario for untethered bidding — the Dodgers, Yankees and Mets all furiously trying to sign him. And once offers reached $300 million, he was just going to go where he wanted — which was Los Angeles.

Meanwhile, the Yankees’ expectations that Montas might fall in the $10 million-ish bucket after throwing 1 ¹/₃ innings last season evaporated when he signed with the Reds for one year at $16 million. So the upside play is who now? Perhaps Yariel Rodriguez. The Yanks are intrigued. So are a lot of teams in a righty who pitched in Japan from 2020-22, but not at all last year. In addition, Rodriguez wants to start, but there are questions whether he is more suited to the bullpen.

On the high end, the Yankees might have to do something even more uncomfortable than lavishly sign a pitcher (Yamamoto) who has yet to throw a MLB pitch. After all, the Yanks believed heavily in Yamamoto’s age (25) and translatable abilities.

Look, if the Yankees were willing to pay $350 million-ish (posting fee included) on Yamamoto, it screams they have the dough to push a lot harder on Blake Snell if they loved him.

Snell is the most accomplished starter left in free agency. But the lefty’s two Cy Young seasons (2018 and 2023) surround four OK ones and there are temperament-related Rodon-esque questions whether Snell would work in New York. Executives and agents said they believe Snell is looking to top $200 million.

Executives and agents spoken to say that Jordan Montgomery is aiming to top the $172 million that Aaron Nola received from the Phillies. The Yankees like him. But they liked him when they traded him, ill-fatedly for Harrison Bader. They know he takes the ball, is competitive and can handle New York. But do they truly believe he is a grade or two better than the pitcher they dealt and, thus, worth the outlay?

Executives and agents believe Shota Imanaga’s bidding could reach $100 million. His strikeout rate was better than Yamamoto’s in 2023, but the lefty is not very big (5-foot-10, 175 pounds) with some home run susceptibility as an up-in-the-zone pitcher.

Milwaukee appears more likely to try to win with Corbin Burnes in 2024 then trade him before the deadline unless it is overwhelmed. The stuff of Cleveland’s Shane Bieber was down last season, he missed two months in the second half with elbow inflammation and he — like Burnes — will be entering his walk year. He is gettable, and one executive in the pitching market said he thought Cleveland would talk about any of its starters, including Triston McKenize, but at a huge price point.

The White Sox are more likely to move Dylan Cease, but they see the soaring pitching contracts in free agency and the concurrent desperation among teams. So the “three premium prospects” ask was so high that, for example, the Braves decided to take the risk of acquiring the injury-bedeviled Chris Sale instead.

The Marlins could be tempted on a a starter from among Edward Cabrera, Braxton Garrett, Jesus Luzardo and Trevor Rogers; but especially for Garrett or Luzardo the need for instant impact from a middle of the diamond player would be a near necessity in return. The Pirates (Mitch Keller), Tigers (Tarik Skubal) and Mariners (Bryce Miller) also are in listening mode.

It seems all but certain the Yankees will add at least one significant starter before the season. But at this point — without Yamamoto – it is about filling a need with a player and/or contract they like rather than love.