Yankees Could Look To Land Star Fireballer This Offseason According To Insider

Would it make sense for the Yankees to acquire the hard-throwing lefty?

Get ready for rumors to swirl for the next few months. 

With November just about two weeks away and the World Series quickly approaching that means the Major League Baseball offseason almost is here. There's sure to be plenty of movement through free agency and trades and the New York Yankees are expected to be right in the thick of it.

New York needs to make some moves after finishing with just 82 wins in 2023 and the New York Post's Joel Sherman posed a hypothetical deal for the Yankees involving sending young slugger Jake Bauers to the Miami Marlins for fireballer Tanner Scott.

"MLB Trade Rumors has Bauers pegged for $1.7 million in his first year of arbitration, plus he has three years of control," Sherman said. "That is the profile of a player that fits the Marlins. But do they like his potential upside? Bauers just turned 28 last week, yet six organizations already have brought him in, including heavily analytical groups in Tampa Bay, Cleveland, Seattle, and The Bronx. There is clearly something in his metrics that teams like...

"Miami could be selling high on Scott. He began last season with a career 14.8 walk percentage and in 2023 had it drop to 7.8 while still striking out a career-best 33.9 percent of those he faced. Was this an anomaly — the career 4.61 ERA reliever dropping to 2.31 in 74 outings? There has never been doubt about Scott’s stuff — just his command. Do the Marlins (and the sport) believe the hard-throwing lefty made no-doubt changes that are not mercurial? If so, even just a season of him should net more than a flier that Bauers has an upside for three years. But it is a reminder that with Wandy Peralta a free agent, the Yankees do have to find a lefty reliever and/or re-sign Peralta."

This move could make sense for New York. Scott is just 29 years old and looked like a star in 2023. The big lefty compiled a 2.31 ERA in 74 outings and his advanced metrics were even better. Scott was in the 99th percentile in expected ERA, 99th percentile in chase percentage, 99th percentile in hard hit percentage, 98th percentile in strikeout percentage, and 90th percentile in fastball velocity per Baseball Savant. 

New York had the best bullpen in baseball in 2023 but will need to make at least one addition this offseason. If the club could land Scott for Bauers they should do so in a heartbeat.