Yankees Eyeing Pair Of Intriguing Ex-Cardinals Hurlers in Free Agency
It sounds like the New York Yankees could end up landing at least one former member of the St. Louis Cardinals this offseason.
New York still is in the running to land Orix Buffaloes phenom Yoshinobu Yamamoto but is facing still competition for his services including the Boston Red Sox, New York Mets, and Los Angeles Dodgers.
If the Yankees don't end up landing Yamamoto, it sounds like they will pivot elsewhere to fill roster holes. Two players the Yankees reportedly could pursue are lefty Jordan Montgomery and fireballer Jordan Hicks, according to The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal.
"A rotation without (Yoshinobu Yamamoto) would require at least one more starter, and the Yankees, at least internally, have discussed a reunion with free-agent lefty Jordan Montgomery," Rosenthal said. "The team also could seek to build what one source described as a 'super-charged' bullpen.
"The three top relievers listed by The Athletic's Tim Britton and Aaron Gleeman in their top-40 free agents -- Josh Hader (No. 10), Jordan Hicks (No. 23), and Robert Stephenson (No. 29) remain unsigned."
Both Montgomery and Hicks began the 2023 season with the Cardinals but were both traded away ahead of the 2023 Major League Baseball Trade Deadline. St. Louis had one of the worst seasons in team history and was in an unfamiliar spot of being one of the biggest sellers ahead of the deadline.
St. Louis also has been linked to both Montgomery and Hicks this offseason in free agency but it sounds like the Cardinals may be done adding starting pitching -- at least through free agency. That likely rules out a return of Montgomery to the Cardinals.
Hicks certainly still is a possibility but at this point, the relief pitching market has been extremely slow. We will just have to wait and see.
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