The Yankees continue to talk with top free-agent starters Blake Snell, the reigning NL Cy Young winner, and Jordan Montgomery, an October hero for the Rangers, while also considering big-time trade candidates, including Dylan Cease, sources familiar with the situation said.
Though they remain apart in negotiations for Snell and Montgomery, and also the trade options, there’s a belief the Yankees will land someone significant to aid their rotation before the season. Managing partner Hal Steinbrenner is said to be on board with the concept of a serious addition to a rotation that’s suffered a couple losses via trade and free agency.
The Yankees like both Snell and Montgomery but seem to have more belief at the moment that their chances may be better for Snell, who’d combine with ace Gerrit Cole to give them both defending Cy Young winners, the first such team since the 1990 Royals had Bret Saberhagen and Mark Davis, the 1989 winners.
There’s some thought Montgomery may prefer to go back to Texas after he helped the Rangers win their first World Series, and also growing indication the local TV issue that’s stalled their winter may be close to being resolved. While Snell is from the West Coast (Seattle) and has interest that way, he’s said not to have a geographic preference, as some feared.
The Yankees also remain in contact with the White Sox about their ace Cease — who’s being sought by the Orioles, Reds, Mets and presumably many more teams. However, as with the free agents, there’s currently a serious gap in negotiations to the point where some Yankees people seem unsure whether Cease — who isn’t a free agent until after 2025 — will be dealt this winter. Ultimately, anyway, it may hard to outbid Baltimore, which has the best roster of top prospects in baseball.
The Yankees also have talked to the Marlins, who are taking inquiries on several starters — including Jesus Luzardo, Edward Cabrera, Braxton Garrett and Trevor Rogers. However, there’s no evidence of any real traction there yet, either.
With little movement on the trade front, the best hope may be the free-agent market. Snell is the youngest two-time Cy Young winner to hit the free-agent market at age 30 (Pedro Martinez and Saberhagen were 32). Yankees people like him but have some concern about year-to-year consistency considering the asking price.
Montgomery is expected to sign for somewhat less — Carlos Rodon’s $162 million is seen as a comp — but his market appears robust. Beyond Texas, Montgomery has been linked to the Red Sox, Phillies, Giants, Angels and Mets. Snell is thought to have drawn interest from at least the Angels and Giants, and possibly the Phillies, who seek to add a starter even after bringing back their own star Aaron Nola.
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