It has been a quiet offseason in terms of both activity and rumors for the New York Yankees, a team that rarely fails to generate post-World Series buzz. That may be because of their bevy of long contracts they're already tied to, or they may be plotting a stealth move to grab the market's top pitcher.
CBS Sports' Jon Heyman is speculating that the Yankees might make a play for former Cy Young winner Max Scherzer, statistically the top pitcher on the market. In 2014 Scherzer was worth 5.6 WAR per Fangraphs, going 18-5 with a 3.15 ERA and 1.18 WHIP in 220.1 innings of work.
The Yankees' issues last season tended to be a lack of punch on offense rather than mound troubles, but acquiring Scherzer could give them arguably one of MLB's best rotations. He would join last season's big free agent get Masahiro Tanaka and young right-hander Michael Pineda, and allow for some of New York's younger pitchers to be useful swingmen out of the bullpen.
The Yankees' staff is also heavy on injury risks. Tanaka was excellent when he pitched last year-he posted a 13-5 record with a 2.77 ERA and 1.06 WHIP-but missed a large chunk of the season with a partially torn UCL. Pineda is constantly injured, and CC Sabathia, the Yankees $186 million man, only made eight starts in 2014.
As far as helping the offense, the Yankees will have Alex Rodriguez back, and have made it a priority to re-sign Chase Headley. The free agent market is thin on high-end talent, although Hanley Ramirez may fit in well as Derek Jeter's replacement at shortstop. He too is injury prone however, and signing two 30-year-old players to long-term deals isn't likely.
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