As you have already learned the New York Yankees lost future
reliever Jacob Lindgren to the Atlanta Braves after the team non-tendered him a
contract making him a free agent. Lindgren will likely miss all of the 2017
season after undergoing Tommy John surgery so I feel it is safe to presume that
the Yankees felt like they could sign him to a new minor league deal while
getting him off the 40-man roster before the Braves swooped in and gave him a
cool million bucks to rehab down in Atlanta. This such scenario, or a similar
one at least, happened for 35 players before the deadline adding 35 new free
agents into the fold, let’s take a look at them.
Tyson Ross likely headlines the pack of new free agents
after becoming an All-Star just two seasons ago with the San Diego Padres.
Joining Tyson Ross are other notables including Washington Nationals outfielder
Ben Revere, Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Cody Asche, Arizona Diamondbacks
catcher Welington Castillo and pitcher Rubby De La Rosa, Baltimore Orioles
starter Vance Worley and Los Angeles Dodgers bullpen arm Louis Coleman. Chris
Carter, formerly of the Milwaukee Brewers, and Jeff Locke, formerly of the Pittsburgh
Pirates, were also non-tendered but only after being designated for assignment
last week.
Ross is likely the most intriguing for the Yankees followed
possibly by Vance Worley only because they are starting pitchers, an obvious
need for the Yankees. Ross is still just 29-years old and is coming off a
season in which he posted a 13-14 record with a 2.81 ERA in 2014 before
slipping a bit to 10-12 with a 3.26 ERA in 2015. 2016 was a different scenario
for Ross though posting just one MLB appearance due to a thoracic outlet
syndrome surgery he had in the offseason. Ross earned $9.625 million in 2016 for
that one appearance and will look to latch on with a team despite his
four-to-six month recovery time for the surgery he had in October. He may or
may not be ready for spring training but on a one-year deal with incentives, he
isn’t going to take a minor league deal at 29-years old, I don’t see an issue
with taking a waiver on him whatsoever. Do it.
Worley would be a fifth starter with the Yankees and an
innings eater, nothing more unfortunately. He is AL East trained after pitching
with the Baltimore Orioles last season but he should be a clear Plan C or
below. I’d take him personally but only after a lot of names and a whole lot of
arms came off the board. That’s just me. It’s Ross or bust in my opinion. What
say you?
