Two-Time Cy Young Winner Reportedly Angling to Play With Yankees
By Jovan Alford
The New York Yankees did not win the Yoshinobu Yamamoto sweepstakes as he signed a blockbuster 12-year, $325 million deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers last month,
However, New York is still looking to upgrade its starting rotation by any means necessary as they try to return to the postseason. The Yankees have a bonafide ace in Gerrit Cole, but after that, there’s a lot of uncertainty in the rotation.
Yankees Rumors: Snell Wants To Play For New York
One starting pitcher who could be of interest to New York and be a solid addition next to Carlos Rodon and Nestor Cortes is NL Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell. According to Andy Martino of SNY.tv, the free-agent left-handed pitcher has privately expressed an interest in playing for the Yankees.
However, Martino notes Snell has plenty of other suitors, but is “a more likely fit” in New York than fellow free-agent starting pitcher Jordan Montgomery. Snell is coming off a stellar season with the Padres, as he had a 14-9 record and a 2.25 ERA.
The last time the veteran starting pitcher had a sub-3.00 ERA was in 2018 when he won the AL Cy Young with the Tampa Bay Rays (21-5, 1.89 ERA). This past season with the Padres, Snell had a career-high 234 strikeouts in 180 innings pitched, along with an 11.9 SO9. The southpaw had an issue with walks (99 free passes) but was otherwise dominant on the mound.
If you took Snell’s ERA and record from this past season and compared it to New York’s starting rotation, he would be considered their best-starting pitcher over Gerrit Cole (15-4, 2.63 ERA).
Nonetheless, whoever the Yankees sign to bolster their starting rotation, they need the entire team to play up to standard, especially in the tough AL East this upcoming season.
New York is the favorite to win the division (+140 on FanDuel Sportsbook) and has the best odds to win the American League pennant despite the results of the 2023 season.
Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change