Nathan Eovaldi, Non-Tender Candidates & the Yankees

MLB Trade Rumors does an absolutely fantastic job on their site not only bringing you rumors, whispers and news but also they do a wonderful job at their original and unique content. One of those such articles I read over the weekend was an article titled "8 High-Priced Non-Tender Candidates" and it originally caught my eye because Nathan Eovaldi was one of the eight. What made me want to write this article was the other seven candidates and whether, assuming they are indeed non-tendered this offseason, any of them would make sense for the 2017 Yankees. 

The seven non-tender candidates according to the above linked article include the New York Mets first baseman Lucas Duda, Colorado Rockies RHP Jake McGee, Arizona Diamondbacks RHP Shelby Miller, Minnesota Twins RHP Tommy Milone, Minnesota Twins third baseman Trevor Plouffe, Washington Nationals outfielder Ben Revere and St. Louis Cardinals RHP and closer Trevor Rosenthal. The names that obviously stand up off the page above the rest are Shelby Miller and Jake McGee (not because he is nearly as talented as Miller but because of his power arm, the fact that he is American League East tested and the fact that the Yankees could use another power arm or two in their bullpen).

If the Yankees could get Shelby Miller, and trust me I cannot see in a million years the Arizona Diamondbacks giving up the #1 overall draft pick for Miller only to non-tender him a season later, you have to jump on that every day of the week and twice on Sunday. He's struggled but he is healthy and so damn talented. Sign him up. Jake McGee is another I think the Yankees will look at after seeing so much of him with the Tampa Bay Rays. He was a great arm for them but he has struggled in Colorado and on the road as well. He has battled injuries this season and effectiveness as well but he would immediately slot in as the 6th inning guy for the Yankees if signed. No pressure, just flaming fastballs.

I can't see the Yankees signing any of these seven guys although I can see them working out a multi-year deal with Eovaldi essentially making his 2017 season a wash while they hope for his recovery in 2018. If not it may be bust for the Yankees as far as non-tenders go but that isn't exactly the worst thing in the world anyway, is it?


Oh and in case you were wondering here is what the crew at MLBTR had to say about Mr. Eovaldi:

Nathan Eovaldi, SP, Yankees (5+, $5.6MM): 

Despite his struggles, Eovaldi seemed for much of the year to be a fairly sure thing to be tendered a contract. He continued to show signs of promise in spite of the inconsistencies — a career-best 9.3% swinging strike rate, for instance — and at worst would appear to be a late-inning pen candidate with a fastball that sits at 97 even when he’s starting. But a devastating elbow injury means that Eovaldi won’t pitch next year. The Yankees aren’t likely to pay up just to prepare the righty for free agency, so the only way he stays in New York is through some kind of multi-year arrangement.

Early prediction: Non-tender, barring multi-year agreement

Young's Ninth Inning Homer Lifts Yankees to Thrilling Win Over Rays

Alex Cobb surrendered just a hit and an earned run in 7 1/3 innings and Michael Pineda gave up four times that in as many frames, but thanks to a late rally headed by Martin Prado and Chris Young the Yankees found a way to win tonight's rubber game over the Rays, 5-4, in what can only be described as amazing fashion.

Now as you can see by Cobb's final stats, the inconsistent Yanks' bats struggled for a good majority of this one, trailing 4-0 going into the last two innings due to a pair of home runs by Tampa Bay's Yunel Escobar.

Still, once Young doubled off Cobb with one out in the eighth frame (the Yankees' first hit of the game) to knock the right-hander out and Prado followed him with a two-run shot off Brad Boxberger the excitement began to go the home team's way, with New York's offense suddenly catching fire in their half of the ninth.

And yes, it was cool. 

After Rays' reliever Jake McGee hit Chase Headley in the mouth to start that at-bat, Ichiro laced a clutch double into the left-center field gap, moving pinch runner Austin Romine to third for Zelous Wheeler. 

No, Wheeler didn't get on base, but since his strikeout did still keep him out of a triple play the red-hot Young got another chance to hit, taking advantage of it by lining a fastball into the left-field stands.

In other words, in a thirty-minute span this evening things went from the-Yankees-are-going-to-get-no-hit to playoffs?, a strange happening I'm sure they'll happily take. 

Jeter's Late Single Backs Up Greene's Great Start in 3-2 Win Over Rays

Shane Greene gave up just 2 earned runs in 6+ innings and Derek Jeter hit a go-ahead single in the top of the ninth today as the Yankees finally ended their five-game losing streak with a 3-2 win over the Rays. 

For most of this one, as expected, Greene and the Yanks led 2-0, an advantage built in the second when Martin Prado took Tampa Bay Starter Drew Smyly deep to left with a man on second.

Nonetheless, after a trio of Rays hits plated a run in the bottom of the sixth and a Chase Headley mental error on an infield chopper led to another crossing of home in the seventh the contest was even, appearing to kill the Yanks' confidence. 

Fortunately, as you can see by that final score, that wouldn't prove to be the case, with an infield knock by Brett Gardner, a throw into the Tampa dugout, and the aforementioned single by Jeter off Jake McGee in the ninth re-giving New York the lead, something they'd never lose thanks to a perfect last at-bat by the always-reliable David Robertson.

Still, since that defensive meltdown cost Greene the W you can't help but be a little dissapointed in the way this afternoon's ballgame played out, as it probably shouldn't have needed the late rally it did.