With the Yoshinobu Yamamoto case officially closed, MLB teams will finally be able to move on and the doors to the free agent market and transactions will open wide.
And this is the case with the New York Yankees. After being in the race for the Japanese launcher until the very end, it's time to look ahead.
With a starting rotation including the names of Gerrit Cole, Carlos Rodon, Nestor Cortes Jr. and Clarke Schmidt, an arm must be added to the pitching corps, if not two.
For what? Because aside from Cole, the rest of the team's starters have injury histories.
Indeed, Rodon only made 14 starts, maintaining a 6.85 ERA last year. For his part, Cortes only started 12 games with an earned run average of 4.97. Schmidt, meanwhile, has made 32 starts, but has yet to convince the baseball world that he can fit into the Bombardiers' rotation on a regular basis.
Left-handed free agents Jordan Montgomery and Blake Snell, the reigning National League Cy Young Award winner, should be considered as replacement options, and quickly.
A reunion with right-hander Frankie Montas could also occur, even if the latter would only fill the fifth or sixth starting position with the Yankees.
The Bronx reps could also head into the trade market, with Dylan Cease and Corbin Burnes proving attractive avenues. The asking price will remain to be seen, because there is no question that young Anthony Volpe and Jasson Dominguez will find themselves in other countries.
Regardless, general manager Brian Cashman has his work cut out for him and needs to get to work now.
