The New York Yankees have been relatively quiet during the MLB offseason out of making the major move to re-sign Cody Bellinger to a five-year, $162.5 million contract.
While the team has made a few other moves to improve roster depth, they still haven’t made any splashes. One position the Yankees have been rumored to be looking at upgrading is their starting pitching rotation.
Prior to the New York Mets pulling off the blockbuster trade to acquire Freddy Peralta from the Milwaukee Brewers, New York was interested in him. Even though that option has disappeared, the Yankees could still bring in an impact starter.
Keeping that in mind, New York has been linked to potentially stealing a starter from a bitter American League East rival.
New York Yankees Linked to Towering 6-foot-6 Starting Pitcher
As the MLB offseason moves forward, the starting pitching market has diminished quite a bit. Many of the perceived trade candidates have found new home as well.
One of the best starters still available in free agency is Boston Red Sox free agent Lucas Giolito.
New York Yankees On SI analyst Jordon Lawrenz suggested Giolito as a potential fit for the team this offseason.
Standing in at 6-foot-6, Giolito is an intimidating physical presence on the mound. He is also coming off of a very good season with the Red Sox.
Throughout the course of the 2025 campaign, Giolito made 26 starts for Boston. He compiled a 10-4 record to go along with a 3.41 ERA, a 1.29 WHIP, a 2.2 K/BB ratio, and 145 innings pitched. Those numbers would look good in the Yankees’ rotation.
Add in the fact that New York would be stealing a key piece from the Red Sox last season would make this move even more intriguing for the Yankees.
What Has New York Done So Far This Offseason?
Obviously, the aforementioned move to re-sign Bellinger was the big splash move of the offseason thus far for the Yankees. Despite the talks taking a lot longer than fans would have liked, the two sides were able to hammer out a deal.
In addition to the Bellinger re-signing, New York has made a few other smaller deals. Among the other players brought in this offseason are right-hander Paul Blackburn, left-hander Ryan Weathers in a trade with the Miami Marlins, outfielder Marco Luciano, and right-hander Dylan Coleman.
Other smaller moves were made as well.
While adding depth is always important, the Yankees will need to continue being aggressive if they want to win a World Series. They appear on paper to be one of the best teams in the American League, but beating loaded teams like the Chicago Cubs, Los Angeles Dodgers, and New York Mets in the National League won’t be easy.
Expect to continue hearing rumors about New York as the offseason progresses. Brian Cashman may not make anymore aggressive moves, but signing a piece like Giolito could make a lot of sense for the Yankees.
Yankees Linked to Stealing Towering Pitcher From AL East Rival