Yankees Prefer Trade For Starting Pitching Than Free Agency

The New York Yankees have a preference if they want to add any other starting pitching help before the season.

The New York Yankees would rather address any remaining starting pitching needs via trade than sign Cy Young winner Blake Snell, according a report on Sunday in USA Today.

The report noted that the Yankees’ preference is to trade for Chicago White Sox starter Dylan Cease, but that they are “at a standstill” with the White Sox.

This comes amid a prediction by ESPN that the Yankees will eventually sign Snell, who is the top remaining pitcher on the free-agent market but has yet to get a deal done.

What’s the hold-up on Cease? Well, compensation. The White Sox want a player the Yankees don’t want to give up.

Earlier this month the New York Post reported that one Yankees prospect was pursued as compensation in three separate trades — outfielder Spencer Jones. The San Diego Padres wanted him in the Juan Soto trade, the Milwaukee Brewers wanted Jones in a potential deal for Corbin Burnes and the White Sox want him for Cease.

The Yankees have been steadfast in not giving up Jones, who greeted Yankees fans at their spring training game in Tampa on Saturday with a mammoth home run that landed on the stadium concourse in right field.

Jones is the Yankees’ top-rated prospect per MLB Pipeline and a future star in their outfield. Jones reached Double-A Somerset last year and slashed .267/.336/.444/.780 with 16 home runs and 66 RBI, along with 29 doubles and four triples.

He may not make the Majors this year, as the Yankees addressed their outfield issues by trading for Soto, Trent Grisham and Alex Verdugo. But Soto and Verdugo are both free agents after this season and if they Yankees lose one or both, Jones may be ready to ascend to the Bronx in 2025.

Cease could still be an option if the Yankees can find a package that appeals to the White Sox and doesn’t include Jones. Cease has a career 43-35 record with a 3.83 ERA. He was second in Cy Young voting in 2022 after a 14-8 season with a 2.20 ERA. He led the AL in strikeouts per nine innings in 2021 with 12.3.

Plus, he comes with two years of team control. No worrying about free agency until after the 2025 season.