Yankees Targeting McCarthy, Capuano and Hammel as Possible 2015 Starters

The Yankees are targeting veteran pitchers Brandon McCarthy, Chris Capuano and Jason Hammel as possible starters for next year's staff, CBS Sports' Jon Heyman reports.

McCarthy and Capuano, who joined the Yankees this summer after rough stints with the Diamondbacks and Red Sox, respectively, are natural choices for the team considering their recurring contributions to it this season. Hammel, meanwhile, also makes sense for the Yanks due to his affordability, as the right-hander made just $6 million in 2014 as a member of the Cubs and A's.

From Heyman's article: 

"Yankees people are telling others at present that they don't see the wisdom in going "seven or eight years" for a top starting pitcher. The Daily News first suggested [Jon] Lester and [Max] Scherzer were unlikely for the Yankees.

McCarthy was a revelation for the Yankees, performing superbly after coming from Arizona. He was 7-5 with a 2.89 ERA as a Yankee after being acquired from Arizona for Vidal Nuno after going 3-10 with a 5.01 ERA with the Diamondbacks.

Hammel was brilliant with the Cubs, then not quite as good with the A's. Overall, he was better than McCarthy, though, going 10-11 with a 3.47 ERA. Capuano was 2-3 with a 4.25 ERA in 12 second-half starts for the Yankees."

As of now, the Yankees' 2015 rotation appears to consist of Masahiro Tanaka, Michael Pineda and CC Sabathia, with Ivan Nova also likely to join later on. 

So, since it's certainly possible that any one of those four could experience health problems next season, it's basically guaranteed that New York will at least try to sign McCarthy or Hammel this winter. In Capuano's case, though, it seems he'll probably be inked to serve mainly in the bullpen, presumably making the occasional spot start as well.

Either way, you can bet something newsworthy will eventually come of this finding.