Yankees Could Land 'Top-Flight' Starter This Offseason To Help Fix Rotation

It sounds like New York really could end up landing the top free-agent pitcher this offseason

The New York Yankees need to improve the starting rotation and could do so by making a seismic splash. 

New York is in the market for a new starter and it sounds like the Yankees are willing to spend big. New York has been mentioned as one of the most aggressive clubs in pursuing Orix Buffaloes ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto and it sounds like it could actually land him. 

Yamamoto reportedly is open to New York and officially has been posted so now clubs can begin negotiating with him on a contract. It won't be long until we find out where he lands but it sounds like the Yankees could be the top spot, according to MLB.com's Mark Feinsand. 

"Beyond (American League) Cy Young Award winner Gerrit Cole, the Yankees’ rotation was unsettled for most of 2023 due to injury (Nestor Cortes, Carlos Rodón) and underperformance (Rodón, Luis Severino), so adding a top-flight arm is a priority," Feinsand said. "Yamamoto is the top pitcher on the market, and at age 25, he could have the same type of impact that Masahiro Tanaka did for New York a decade ago."

Feinsand listed free-agent targets for each club and linked the Yankees to Yamamoto. This isn't surprising. New York has been mentioned as a fit on numerous occasions over the last year and general manager Brian Cashman even traveled to watch him pitch in person.

Yamamoto is going to get a massive contract this offseason in free agency and it really sounds like the Yankees could end up being the club that gives it to him.