THE RED SOX ARE ALREADY AHEAD OF THE YANKEES THIS OFF SEASON!

The Red Sox have already gone out and upgraded their rotation. The Yankees? We’re over here lighting candles and hoping Carlos Rodón and Gerrit Cole remember how to throw baseballs in time to help Max Fried. For now, the Yankees’ rotation is basically one ace and two question marks wearing ice packs. And yes—that’s sarcasm.

Why are the Yankees always fashionably late when it comes to addressing their biggest needs? There is zero debate: they need another legit starter behind Fried. There’s no guarantee Cole comes back as Cole, or that Rodón stops pitching like he’s being haunted by 2023. Something has to happen—because the Red Sox already did something.

Boston just pulled off their first real offseason swing, bringing in Sonny Gray from the Cardinals accoding to reports. Now, sure, Yankee fans will roll their eyes and say, “We had Sonny Gray, remember? Dumpster fire.” Fair point—but that was baby Sonny. That was Sonny fresh out of the wrapper, overwhelmed, overcoached, and allergic to throwing what he was actually good at.

This Sonny? He’s older, tougher, smarter, and, frankly, really good. Laugh all you want—Boston filled a need, and they filled it with a guy who knows how to pitch in big moments.

Gray slots in as a rock-solid No. 2 behind Garrett Crochet on a Sox team trying to win right now. They didn’t gut their farm system, they got cash in the deal, and they added a pitcher who posted a 5.29 K/BB ratio last season—fourth-best in MLB—and cleared 180 innings. That’s not “Yankees Sonny Gray.” That’s “You’re-gonna-hate-facing-him Sonny Gray.” Boston made a legitimately smart move.

Meanwhile, the Yankees have Fried… and then a couple of pitchers whose injury updates sound like Yelp reviews. “Getting better… slowly… maybe.” No one knows if Cole or Rodón will be ready for Opening Day.

So right now the rotation looks like:
Fried, Warren, Gil… and a prayer.

Yikes.