The New York Yankees are getting Gerrit Cole back at some point next season and will instantly have one of the best starting rotations in all of baseball. However, they could be looking to make it better.
Right now, Cole and Carlos Rodón are expected to miss the beginning of the season. However, when healthy, the Yankees will have Cole, Rodón, Max Fried, Cam Schlittler and Luis Gil at their disposal. Ryan Yarbrough was also thriving as a starter and could also play a role. That is a very strong group of starters, but MLB insider Jim Bowden recently noted that Sandy Alcántara could end up on the Yankees.
“I think Sandy Alcántara of the Marlins has a legitimate shot at getting traded to the New York Yankees,” Bowden noted on MLB Network Radio. “I know they’ve had a lot of discussions.”
Alcántara signed a five-year, $56 million deal with the Miami Marlins in 2021. He won the National League Cy Young Award in 2022 and is a two-time All-Star. Alcantara struggled in 2023, missed all of 2024, and was not great last season, coming off Tommy John surgery.
However, Alcántara finished the season on a high note. He had a 2.68 ERA in his final eight starts and went at least six innings in each of those starts. At his best, he is one of the best pitchers in all of baseball. However, he has been inconsistent since his dominant 2022 season.
Adding Alcántara would push one of Gil or Schlittler out of the rotation when Rodón and Cole are healthy. However, a healthy Alcántara may be a better pitcher than everyone except Cole in the Yankees’ projected rotation.
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