Yankees Check in on Jacob deGrom in Free Agency
The Yankees have requested medical information from free agent starting pitcher Jacob deGrom, per Andy Martino of SNY.
New York is the fourth team so far this winter to inquire with deGrom, joining the Rangers, Braves and Mets, who hope to retain their ace and two-time Cy Young Award winner.
Martino prefaced that this doesn't mean the Yankees are necessarily pursuing deGrom. At least not yet.
"Teams request medicals on free agents all the time before determining whether to mount a full-scale pursuit," Martino wrote. "The Yankees are prioritizing re-signing Aaron Judge and adding to their pitching."
deGrom is entering his age-35 season, still one of the very best starting pitchers in the sport. He posted a 3.08 ERA over 11 starts in 2022, missing the first four months of the season on the 60-day injured list.
The Yankees' starting rotation currently features Gerrit Cole, Nestor Cortes, Luis Severino and Frankie Montas. As of now, a mix of Domingo Germán and former top prospect Clarke Schmidt would fill the No. 5 spot.
New York has been linked to other free agent starters like Justin Verlander and Carlos Rodón. Owner Hal Steinbrenner made it clear earlier this offseason that while re-signing Judge is the ultimate priority, bringing the MVP back won't preclude the Yankees from spending on other top assets on the open market.
The Yankees have other items on their to-do list as well. New York needs to decide who will start in left field in 2023, they could trade one of their infielders to make room for their top prospects and there's always room for improvement in the bullpen.
Meanwhile, the Mets are showing interest in a few former Yankees starters. Not only are the Mets reportedly in contact with right-hander Jameson Taillon, who entered free agency after two seasons with the Yankees, but New York has also inquired with lefty Andrew Heaney. Ex-Yankees reliever Stephen Ridings was picked up by the Mets off waivers this month as well.
MORE:
- Yankees Will 'Work Hard' to Trade Josh Donaldson, Aaron Hicks This Winter
- Why Non-Tendering Isiah Kiner-Falefa Wouldn’t Have Made Sense
- Yankees Claim Reliever Junior Fernández Off Waivers
Follow Max Goodman on Twitter (@MaxTGoodman), be sure to bookmark Inside The Pinstripes and check back daily for news, analysis and more.
