Will the Yankees sign one of the top two pitchers still available??
We are already about two weeks into spring training, yet two premier starting pitchers are still available. Will the Yankees make a big move in spring training and write another massive check??? Let's dive into it.
Blake Snell is the number one talent still available for teams to scoop up, so why has no one signed him yet? Snell's talent and performance on the mound is undeniable, as he is a two-time Cy Young winner, even winning one of those awards last season! In 2023 he started for the Padres 32 games with a 2.25 ERA and recorded 234 strikeouts in 180 innings. As hard as it is to admit, his performance trumped Gerrit Cole's season last year. So why is he two weeks into spring training and watching the action from home????
Well, he is asking for a lot of money. The latest reports on the Internet have him asking for a contract anywhere from $100 million to $150 million, ideally for a 3 to 5-year deal. Are these reports accurate? Who the hell knows. Everyone knows the Internet never lies.......... When the deal does get done, it will be a huge number, and with his talent, I don't see him compromising for a smaller contract.
The other bigwig still on the free agent market is Jordan Montgomery, a former Yankee who seemed to hit his prime immediately after leaving the Yankees. Montgomery pitched for the Cardinals and the World Series winning Rangers in 2023. Last season he pitched a 3.2 ERA and recorded 166 strikeouts in 188.2 innings. Jordan Montgomery is 31 and looking for his big payday after last season, most likely asking for a long-term deal somewhere around what Aaron Nola recently received from the Phillies. Nola signed his contract for $172 million over 7 years. Will Montgomery get a deal that long and that large???? We might wait to see a deal happen in the late days of spring training and possibly into the season!
Where will the top two remaining pitchers land???? The man to ask is Scott Boras, the highly regarded super-agent representing both of them. If the Yankees were going to sign either of them, I think it would have been done already. But you never know, Brian Cashman might pull a big surprise to pad the Yankee's pitching staff even after the massive Marcus Stroman contract.