The New York Yankees need pitching, this much we know, and
with free agency now in full swing the team and their GM Brian Cashman have
already begun kicking tires and beginning conversations with a few key arms
that are available this winter. One such arm the Yankees have shown early
interest in is former Chicago Cubs right-hander and 15-game winner in 2016,
Jason Hammel. Hammel had a $12 million option declined by the Cubs this
offseason after missing the entire postseason with an arm injury and now the
right-hander will spend the winter looking for a job in a very thin class for
free agent starting pitchers. Will the Yankees swoop in and grab him up?
To be honest I think they won’t and here’s why. Any good GM
touches base with or at least contacts about every major free agent on the
market. Some players you have serious interest in, others you don’t. Every GM
should be doing their due diligence though and I truly believe that’s all this
is with Hammel and the Yankees. That’s not meant to be a dig or a slap in the
face to Hammel but the last thing the Yankees need is another injury-riddled
pitcher and question mark in their rotation, especially after the debacle that
was the 2016 season.
Hammel finished the 2016 season with a 15-10 record and a
3.83 ERA giving him his third straight season with double-digit victories and
an ERA under 4.00 but the fact that the 34-year old missed the entire
postseason with an injury is probably enough to keep a lot of teams away. There
is a lot to like about Hammel and what he brings to the table but there are
some teams who can afford to take the risk here and other teams who can’t and
the Yankees are definitely the latter and not the former.
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Sorry for the Capatcha... Blame the Russians :)