Yankees 'Like' Rising Star Free Agent But Reunion Seen As Unlikely

Should the Yankees offer the big lefty a contract?

What will the New York Yankees do about the starting rotation?

There have been question marks swirling about the rotation for weeks. Some have wondered whether or not the club would make another splashy addition.

New York added Marcus Stroman earlier in the offseason but some said the club needed another hurler if it wanted to compete for a World Series title in 2024. 

Things are even more difficult for the Yankees now in the wake of the news of the injury to Gerrit Cole's elbow. He had an MRI done this week and will miss at least one or two months. 

Multiple players have been linked to the Yankees since the announcement of Cole's injury. Blake Snell still is the top pitcher available. Michael Lorenzen has been floated as a mid-tier option with upside.

Another player who the Yankees "like," but a deal would be unlike is big left-handed starter Jordan Montgomery, according to the New York Post's Jon Heyman.

"The Yankees like their former pitcher, but they prefer (Blake Snell)," Heyman said. "The suspicion, too, is he’d prefer the (Texas Rangers), who also went for (Dylan Cease) and could use another pitcher."

Montgomery has plenty of experience in New York. He was selected by the Yankees in the fourth round of the 2014 Major League Baseball June Amateur Draft and began his big league career with the club in 2017. 

He remained with New York until he was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals in 2022. Montgomery was traded from St. Louis to the Texas Rangers during the 2023 season and helped lead them to the World Series. 

Montgomery has been linked to the Yankees on multiple occasions throughout the offseason, but it doesn't sound like a deal is likely.