The offseason has been well underway but in a sense, things are just about to heat up. With the Winter Meetings on slate for next week, the New York Yankees will reportedly meet with the two biggest free agents on the market. That would be starting pitchers Gerrit Cole and Stephen Strasburg.
We know the Yankees have some interest in the pair of aces. So it makes sense that they will be meeting with both players and their agent, Scott Boras. Ahead of the Winter Meetings, which take place Dec. 9-12 in San Diego, the Bronx Bombers will reportedly have those meetings over the next two days, per Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic.
The Yankees will sit down with both Cole and Strasburg over the next two days, sources said. Other interested teams already have met with or will meet with the two pitchers, who are widely viewed as the best starters in this year’s free-agent class.
While the Yankees are expected to make other moves, Cole and Strasburg are the big fish. With a need for a true ace on the staff, Cole and Strasburg are there for the picking. This is a chance for Brian Cashman to take advantage of the window to win now. That notion is especially true given the elite talent set to enter their prime.
Both Cole and Strasburg were top-end talents in 2019. Already possessing a solid staff consisting with the likes of Luis Severino, Masahiro Tanaka and James Paxton, adding one of these elite starters would make the Yankees true World Series contenders. It would also give them an advantage over the Houston Astros.
Strasburg finished the 2019 campaign with a career-high 251 strikeouts in 209 innings pitched. He was 18-6 with a 3.32 ERA and a 1.04 WHIP. Entering his age-32 season, Strasburg still has the repertoire to be a true ace of the staff in the Bronx.
Cole is the cream of the crop. He is the belle of the ball. Striking out an insane 326 hitters in 212.1 innings pitched, Cole was 20-5 with a 2.50 ERA and a 0.89 WHIP. He will undoubtedly be expensive, but he would make the Yankees World Series favorites in 2020.
The Yankees have a big offseason ahead. They have reached the ALCS in two of the past three seasons. Whether they make a real push for Cole and/or Strasburg remains to be seen.
But that process takes its first step over the next two days as Cashman prepares to meet with the blue-chip free agents.