$95 Million All-Star Breaks Mute on Deal Talks with Yankees

admin | February 9, 2024 | Other Clubs | No Comments

The New York Yankees have been linked to several top free agency pitchers this offseason, including Blake Snell, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and Jordan Montgomery.

The Yankees’ pursuit of Josh Hader, a five-time All-Star and three-time National League Reliever of the Year award winner, was particularly intriguing. Landing him would have completely reshaped the Yankees’ bullpen and seen the team make a significant investment in a shutdown closer, something they haven’t had since Mariano Rivera.

Hader announced the progress of negotiations with the Yankees shortly after signing a record-breaking five-year, $95 million contract with the Astros.

“I’d say the Yankees were talking, it just never came through,” Hader stated during an appearance on “Foul Territory.”

Hader also stated that he was looking to join a team that may compete for a World Series in the near future, hinting that the Yankees were a viable fit for that reason. However, he clarified that the Astros were far more forthright with their offer, implying that the Yankees never made a legitimate contract deal.

“Houston, they were straight up, they were like, ‘Hey, you’re the guy we want, alright, this is what we’re going to give you, this is our plan,’ and they made it happen,” Hader went on to say.

In addition to the Astros and Yankees, Hader identified the Los Angeles Dodgers as the third team he had been “talking to” in free agency, stating that they “were in the room but never fully stepped in.”

Without Josh Hader, New York Yankees Bullpen Faces Some Questions

Without making a competitive offer for the greatest reliever on the free agent market this summer, it appears that the Yankees will remain with their bullpen approach that worked successfully in 2023.

Last season, the Yankees relief corps posted the lowest ERA in MLB, with 11 saves and 12 strikeouts. This was accomplished using a bullpen of relatively inexpensive, under-the-radar pitchers.

Adding Hader would have made a significant difference, but it appears that the Yankees will return to a soft-contact strategy rather than a swing-and-miss, flamethrowing approach.

As key players of its pitching staff left last season, the organization recently added depth by dealing for relievers Caleb Ferguson and Victor Gonzalez.

“Since the end of last season, Wandy Peralta and Michael King are gone — both to San Diego — as are Albert Abreu (Japan), Keynan Middleton (St. Louis) and Greg Weissert (Boston),” Dan Martin, a reporter for the New York Post, stated. “The philosophy that has made the Yankees’ pen a strength in recent years should remain consistent…” Both Ferguson and Gonzalez have strong ground-ball rates, which the Yankees plainly covet.

The New York Yankees might have one major pitching move left before Opening Day.

With Spring Training on the horizon, it appears like the Yankees’ roster is set for Opening Day. However, New York is always capable of signing a top free agent.

According to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, the Yankees are still looking for free agency pitchers, including Snell and Montgomery, to fill rotation gaps.