Breaking news: In a trade pitch, the Yankees get a $25 million lefty to replace Gerrit Cole.
With Opening Day less than a week away, the New York Yankees starting rotation that was arguably among the best in the American League at the start of Spring Training suddenly appears to be among the worst. Gerrit Cole, the Cy Young Award-winning star, will miss the season due to Tommy John surgery. Luis Gil, the Yankees’ projected No. 3 starter and last year’s Rookie of the Year, is anticipated to miss at least three months due to a high-grade lat strain. Broad Cashman, general manager of the Yankees, stated that he hopes Gil would return to the mound “sometime in the summer.”
The New York Post reported on Friday that fifth starter Clarke Schmidt is expected to begin the season on the disabled list after battling shoulder and back problems.
With Max Fried, the Yankees’ biggest offseason free agent acquisition, leading the rotation, the defending American League champions are left with 32-year-old two-time All-Star Carlos Rodón, Marcus Stroman, 38-year-old Carlos Carrasco, who recorded a bloated 5.64 ERA for the Cleveland Guardians the previous season, and rookie Will Warren, who gave up 26 earned runs in 22 2/3 innings in 2024.
A Former Yankee Could Provide Rotation Assistance
It looks like the Yankees need assistance with their pitching staff. Jordan Montgomery, the Arizona Diamondbacks’ highly sought-after free agency signing in the 2023–2024 offseason, was selected in the fourth round of the 2014 draft. However, Montgomery has been a huge letdown for Arizona, to the point that the owner of the team has openly criticized him.
In a radio interview toward the end of the previous season, Diamondbacks managing general partner Ken Kendrick stated, “If anyone wants to blame anyone for Jordan Montgomery being a Diamondback, you’re talking to the guy that should be blamed.” In retrospect, that was a terrible choice. to have put so much money into a man who fared as badly as he did. I am the one responsible for our greatest talent-related error of the season.
harsh language. However, Montgomery’s 2024 statistics support the statements. The Diamondbacks got a bloated 6.23 ERA in just 117 innings over 25 games in exchange for their $25 million. Therefore, it should come as no surprise that many clubs have already shown interest in acquiring the 32-year-old Montgomery from Arizona, according to John Gambadoro of Phoenix’s sports talk radio station 98.7.
Montgomery’s 2025 Due Paycheck of $22.5 Million
In the event of a trade, the Diamondbacks would probably have to pay a sizable portion of Montgomery’s salary, which is $22.5 million after he decided to exercise his 2025 player option. The Yankees may give them a lower-level pitching prospect in exchange for what Kendrick referred to as “our biggest mistake.” Elmer Rodriguez-Cruz, a 21-year-old right-hander who the Yankees acquired this offseason when they traded catcher Carlos Narváez to the Red Sox, is one contender.
Rodriguez-Cruz is “electric,” according to Yankees pitching director Sam Briend, who spoke to NJ Advanced Media. However, the young pitcher is still in the Hudson Valley’s Single-A league and is probably a few years away from making it to the Major Leagues.
