If the New York Yankees are able to sign Yoshinobu Yamamoto in free agency, they will have one of the best starting rotations in baseball.
They will have to pay a hefty price for it, considering that reports suggest Yamamoto could make at least $250 million in the open market. Nonetheless, the Yankees currently have two players on their roster who are primed to recover from a dismal 2023 campaign.
Notably, Carlos Rodon, a 31-year-old lefty starter, just finished his worst MLB season. With a 5.79 FIP, a career-low 60.5% left-on-base percentage, 8.95 strikeouts per nine innings, a 6.85 ERA, and a 27.1% ground ball rate, he only pitched 64.1 innings. He reached a new career high of 2.10 home runs per nine. In the end, a number of injuries derailed his season, and his frustration mounted as his confidence declined.
The Yankees Need Carlos Rodon to Carry His Weight
After signing a six-year contract, Rodney may represent yet another $162 million loss for the Yankees if he doesn’t return to full strength. Rodon is coming off two standout seasons, most notably 2022, when he pitched 178 innings, a career high with the San Francisco Giants. He had a 2.88 ERA, 12 strikeouts per nine, a ground ball rate of 34.1%, and a left-on-base percentage of 75.1%.
Obtaining Rodon in 2022 would greatly strengthen the rotation, particularly if they land Yamamoto. It’s a big what-if, but they would have one of the most deadly top-three starters in baseball. The Yankees would be depending on a pitcher who has a history of injuries to return to full strength and on a player who has never appeared in an MLB inning to develop into an ace-level arm right away. Given that Yoshinobu is 25 years old and was a JPPL champion, most people think he will adjust quickly.
Another Lefty Arm Who Can Make an Impact
On the other hand, Nestor Cortes is a lefty starter who also wants to return. Before Cortes enters free agency in 2026, he has two more years of arbitration left.
Cortes can be an excellent middle-of-the-rotation starter at a reasonable price. In 2023, the 28-year-old experienced a rotator cuff strain that limited his innings pitched to just 63.1 and his ERA to 4.97. He wants to go back in time and repeat his 2022 All-Star campaign, in which he pitched 158.1 innings with a 2.44 ERA.
Cortes is one of the team’s best pitchers when his confidence is at its peak. He has nasty stuff. But no one can ignore a rotator cuff injury to their throwing arm, which is why Cortes’s struggles from the previous season are understandable. The Yankees remain optimistic that he will add significant value, but both Rodon and Cortes must maintain good health because it will ultimately determine how successful they are in 2024.
