Where will the New York Yankees spend their money? General manager Brian Cashman is not looking to hand out marquee contracts this offseason in hopes of saving that for next year, but he still needs to make improvements to the roster with a starting pitcher being one of the biggest needs. With doubt surrounding CC Sabathia and Masahiro Tanaka's health, the Yankees need another ace arm. With plenty of names hitting the market, just how big will the Yankees go?
According to Wallace Matthews of ESPN.com, the idea that the Yankees sign a name like David Price, Zack Greinke or Johnny Cueto is unreasonable. All three pitchers are going to command top-dollar deals and Cashman has no interest in giving in to the temptation. Yes, the Yankees showed interest in both Price and Cueto at the trade deadline, but they were too expensive then and they are too expensive now. So who can the Yankees bring in instead?
Andrew Marchand of ESPN reports that while Jordan Zimmermann is getting linked to the Yankees, it might be a pipe dream to see him in pinstripes next season. The Washington Nationals ace would require a first-round draft pick to acquire and will still demand a larger contract. The Yankees have no interest in that when they are trying to build a younger roster and considering the pitcher is hitting the over-30 mark, it is a bad deal for New York regardless of how much he would help in the short-term.
The Yankees need a starting arm. Jeff Samardzija or Mike Leake could be better options along with someone like Scott Kazmir. The Yankees could also discuss a trade with the Atlanta Braves for Julio Teheran. According to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports, the Braves are listening to trade deals for almost everyone on the roster with the most interest surrounding Freddie Freeman and Teheran. The pitcher is coming off a bad season, but he is still young with a manageable contract. The Yankees could be interested if someone like Ivan Nova, Michael Pineda or Adam Warren head elsewhere.
Cashman is doing his best to not overload the pay roll and not acquire talent over the age of 30. With players like Mark Teixeira and Alex Rodriguez set to come off the books in the next few years, the Yankees are being cautious with what they do until then. So while the temptation to acquire a big name star is certainly there, Cashman is making it clear he will not give in just for the sake of getting a big name.