New York Yankees: Forget Dallas Keuchel, here’s what needs to happen

The missing piece

At 34-years-old, Scherzer wouldn’t be a long term placement into the Yankees rotation, in fact, the right-hander would only be a Yankee until 2022 when he hits free agency but it would definitely be worth it.

Over his career, the three-time Cy Young winner has an ERA of 3.21 with 2566 career strikeouts. He’s been the most dominant pitcher in baseball for several years and has somehow been able to sustain All-Star status for the past six seasons. So, what would it take to get a guy like Scherzer, because the Bombers would have to give up a lot to get him in the rotation?

I’m not saying it’s realistic, but it’s something that the Yankees should consider. Scherzer could transform this already good starting rotation and make them elite, a legitimate threat against anyone in Major League Baseball. Once Luis Severino returns from injury after the All-Star break, it’s entirely possible that the starting rotation for the Yankees could line up like this.

For a team that has desperately needed consistent starting pitching to get them over the hump, this could be the break that they need. Although you lose big names in Frazier, Stanton, and Happ, let’s look at this from an honest perspective.

Happ had a great 2018 when he first got to New York. He put up an ERA of 2.69 and went 7-0 after he was acquired by Yankees on July 26th. This season, he’s been anything but deserving of a spot in this rotation. So far in 2019, Happ has a 4.83 ERA, 5-3 record, and he’s already given up 15 home runs.

For a guy that got paid $34M over two years this winter, it’s not exactly what New York expected for their investment. At 36-years-old, he’s not worth a ton. Based off his past few seasons, he’s still got some trade value that can make him a valuable asset in a deal to Washington. Don’t let him walk in 2021, Cashman has to deal him now, and clear up a weak spot in the rotation.