Inside The Pinstripes

Yankees 'Believed' in Mix For All-Star Hurler on Trading Block

The New York Yankees have pivoted to acquiring other top-tier talent after the Juan Soto sweepstakes went awry.

Grant Young

Sep 7, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Chicago White Sox starting pitcher Garrett Crochet (45) throws a pitch during the first inning against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Paul Rutherford-Imagn Images
Sep 7, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Chicago White Sox starting pitcher Garrett Crochet (45) throws a pitch during the first inning against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Paul Rutherford-Imagn Images / Paul Rutherford-Imagn Images
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The New York Yankees' offseason strategy took a drastic turn after the unfortunate outcome of the Juan Soto sweepstakes was revealed on December 8.

However, there's a silver lining to Soto's decision: The Yankees can now address their various roster deficiencies by using the money they had allocated to Soto toward acquiring multiple other elite players.

They're also not limited to bolstering their roster via free agency, as they can also make trades.

And according to a December 8 X post from MassLive.com's Chris Cotillo, New York already has its eyes on one elite hurler who's available on the trading block.

"Continue hearing Red Sox are just on the periphery of Garrett Crochet talks and are not aggressors at all, at least to this point.

"Cincinnati seen as a real threat to land Crochet. Yankees believed to be in, too," he wrote.

Despite being on the worst team in baseball history last season, Garrett Crochet proved that he's a Cy Young caliber talent who would be a massive addition to any starting rotation. He earned his first All-Star appearance while posting a 3.58 ERA and recorded 209 strikeouts in 146 innings pitched during the 2024 regular season.

Crochet also won the AL Comeback Player of the Year Award after the season ended.

While adding starting pitching probably isn't at the top of the Yankees' updated offseason priorities list, New York will be looking for any way to improve their team for 2025.

If they can trade for Crochet without parting ways with some of their top prospects, one would imagine they'll try to do so.

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Grant Young
GRANT YOUNG

Grant Young covers the New York Yankees, the New York Mets, and Women’s Basketball for Sports Illustrated’s ‘On SI’ sites. He holds an MFA degree in creative writing from the University of San Francisco, where he also played Division 1 baseball for five years. He believes Mark Teixeira should have been a first ballot MLB Hall of Fame inductee.

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