Five Pitching Options For Yankees After Missing Out On Yoshinobu Yamamoto
On December 6th, the New York Yankees completed a huge trade for Juan Soto in the hopes of rebounding from a disappointing 82-win season in 2023.
There is no doubt that the addition of the three-time All-Star boosts the ceiling of this Yankee squad, but such a player comes at a high price,
and New York will need to fill certain holes created by the blockbuster transaction. Jhony Brito, Randy Vazquez, Drew Thorpe,
and Michael King were all part of the deal for Soto, as was catcher Kyle Higashioka. The deal also included outfielder Trent Grisham for the Bombers.
After moving four right-handed pitchers, three of whom contributed significantly to the big-league pitching staff, New York had a glaring need.
Though mostly a reliever, King started nine games last season and finished with a 2.75 ERA, second only to Cy Young winner Gerrit Cole on the team.
Thorpe was named Minor League Pitching Prospect of the Year last season, implying that the Yankees may have given up a future ace in exchange for the 25-year-old Soto.
Brito and Vazquez were both significantly involved in the rotation for New York last year, pitching a combined 128 innings.
Buccaneers anticipate losing a star player worth $82.5 million to the Bears.