NEW YORK -- For the New York Yankees to be in playoff position a year from now, there is a feeling in the organization that they must improve their starting pitching. While the team has not yet devised its full winter plans, a source described pitching as the club's No. 1 focus.
Buster Olney mentioned this as well about a week ago in an insider piece.
In a meager free-agent market, Los Angeles Dodgers lefty Rich Hill could make a lot of sense for the Yankees. Hill was a Yankees reliever in 2014, but the organization failed to realize his full potential. Since then, he has developed into one of baseball's most dominant starters. He is 36 and injury-prone, which should shorten the length of any contract he receives.
The Yankees would figure to be big players for Hill, but since he is the top starter on the free-agent market, they won't be alone.
Hill would slot very nicely in the Yanks' rotation:
2. Rich Hill
4. CC Sabathia
5. Luis Severino/Bryan Mitchell/Luis Cessa
The last three starters would fight in spring training for that fifth spot and would provide depth for the Yankees. The team would probably want to have another veteran starter or two to create depth in the rotation needed for the 162-game marathon.
In the bullpen, there will be the lure of having soon-to-be free agent (and former Yankee) Aroldis Chapman return as closer, though I'm not sure that Yankees GM Brian Cashman will want to pay at the top of the market on a multiyear deal. Cashman did go four years for Andrew Miller, but that was a bargain for a reliever who was not a closer at the time. The $36 million outlay was a smart calculation since David Robertson departed two years ago.
Cashman has been opposed to spending crazy money for closers not named Mariano Rivera. That philosophy would have to change for New York to be the high bidder for Chapman.
Adding someone like Mark Melancon to the bullpen to combine with Dellin Betances may make more sense. A three-time All-Star, Melancon is also a former Yankee. Since Chapman and Melancon were both traded during the season, they will not cost a team a draft choice, but won't be cheap financially.
The Yankees' offense could be reconfigured, but there is only one obvious opening entering the offseason. The Yankees must decide if they will give Aaron Judge right field or sign a big-time free agent like Yoenis Cespedes. They could also ink a lesser outfielder to compete with Judge.
Besides right field, the Yankees would have to make a trade to open up any other spots. Brett Gardner in left, a favorite of Cashman, could go because his contract is much more reasonable than Jacoby Ellsbury's atrocious seven-year, $153 million deal.
The infield and catching positions are pretty much set, barring a trade to mix things up. Greg Bird and Tyler Austin will compete for and/or share first base. Starlin Castro and Didi Gregorius will be the double-play combination. Chase Headley will be back at third. Gary Sanchez will be the starting catcher, while Brian McCann will be a part-time catcher/DH (or will be traded).
The Yankees likely won't be big spenders this offseason. They may just try to allow their top-rated farm system to further mature and see if the youth movement can lead to a playoff spot before making major deals.
Cashman usually has one or two surprises in the winter, so this year probably won't be any different, but the Yankees' main goal before February is likely to find at least one more quality starter, if not more.