Gerrit Cole is undoubtedly the Yankees number one starter, but who is number two? That slot seems to virtually invisible based on the current roster. Masahiro Tanaka was that guy but with his days in the Bronx seemingly numbered, not sure I see number two in Corey Kluber, Jordan Montgomery, Deivi Garcia, or dare I say Domingo German. But I could see Chicago Cub Kyle Hendricks as that guy and that might be worth going over the luxury tax.
"He pitched in Game 7 of the World Series back in 2016, which the Cubs won. Across 175 games (174 starts), the right-hander owns a 3.12 ERA, 1.11 WHIP and 133 ERA+. He doesn’t strike out a ton of batters, but he induces a lot soft contact (and ground balls), barely walks anyone, and is extremely efficient in regards to his pitch count in a majority of his outings," reported Fansided.
Hendricks is under contract with the Cubs through 2023 for $14 million a year and a $16 million vesting option for 2024. Trading for him makes sense and he could potentially "co-ace" the rotation with Cole, given his success with the Cubs, particularly in the post season. And Hendricks offers consistency, experience and perhaps a little bit of a Mike Mussina kind of quality.
What would the Yankees give up for him? Likely Clint Frazier and Miguel Andujar would be in the mix, opening up the need for the Yankees to sign another free agent or trade for a stellar outfielder. I have had my eye on Joc Pederson who is currently without a home, now a free agent from the World Series Champion Los Angeles Dodgers.
"Theoretically, there should be plenty of interest in Pederson, given that the Steamer projections have him as a 20-top outfielder in wRC+ (118) and top 30 in WAR (2.4) next season. Pederson may not be a star, but he can be a solid contributor on a good team," reports MLB.com.
Pederson would not be a good fit for center field but he could certainly fill in for Aaron Judge in right and certainly platoon in left with Brett Gardner. His left-handed bat would be a welcome addition to the Bronx as the Yankees currently are weak on pure left-handed hitters. And perhaps Pederson has been overlooked with big name players George Springer, Michael Brantley and Marcell Ozuna being at the top of team's lists.
So, it would be in the Yankees best interest to pursue Hendricks however, they would have to give up some great players in return plus go over the luxury tax. All of this would be worth it if the Yankees get the pitching they need to keep opponents from over taxing the Yankee offense and the expectations of hitting always bailing out bad pitching. Maybe guys like Judge and Giancarlo Stanton could actually stay healthy and the Yankees could be more balanced team with Kendricks in the rotation.
--Suzie Pinstripe
BYB Managing Editor
Twitter: @suzieprof
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