The Yankees are thinking head on when it comes to throwing in 2021 because they clearly do not rely on certain things.
They have already agreed this month with former two-time Cy Young Prize winner Corey Kluber, who threw out one innings in 2020.
Now they’re talking to the Pirates about Jameson Taillon, who did not save at all last year after his second Tommy John operation.
The Pirates, perhaps more in reconstruction mode than any team in the majors, have already swapped one starter, Joe Musgrove, for the Padres and their leading slave, the first baseman Josh Bell, to the Nationals. They are open to business and have let teams know they will be taking another appetizer.
A manager of non-Pirates or Yankees whose team was involved in the starting lineup described the Bombers as strong frontrunners for Taillon. An agent not representing Taillon said he heard the talks with the Yankees were progressing. Nevertheless, no Yankees or Pirates official responded to inquiries about the status of a trade.
If the Yankees could acquire Taillon, they would add another question mark behind Gerrit Cole, but that would still be a talented question mark. The theory is that some of the collection will perform well for the Yankees to put together a strong rotation over the course of the season.
Kluber is the most capable of the group, but has only started eight in the last two years, just one in 2020 before a shoulder tear sidelined him. Luis Severino should be out for a few months this season after Tommy John’s surgery. Domingo German would have to be available from the start after missing last season following a suspension under MLB’s domestic abuse protocols. The Yankees consider Jordan Montgomery the skill to score a no. 3-starter, and that Deivi Garcia and Clarke Schmidt can climb to the same level.
Taillon’s stuff had never been in question. In 2010, he was drafted a second overall by Pittsburgh, between Bryce Harper and Manny Machado (Pittsburgh achieved Cole with the No. 1 overall in 2011). But Taillon was plagued by a string of ailments. As healthy in 2018, the judge was 14-10 with a 3.20 ERA in 32 starts. Nevertheless, he needed an operation with Tommy John in August 2019 and that also held him out for 2020.
Taillon has to pay $ 2.25 million in 2021, so he fits into the Yankees’ calculations to stay at least below the $ 210 million luxury tax threshold to start the year. Taillon turned 29 in November 2020. During his rehabilitation last year, he tried to make biomechanical changes to his delivery, including a shorter arm swing, to try to alleviate injuries.
He is talented and, depending on the price, worth a gamble. The Yankees already need to clear two 40 positions to make way for Kluber and DJ LeMahieu. So does it involve anyone from the empire Miguel Andujar, Estevan Florial, Luis Gil, Luis Medina if this trade goes through? Opposition leaders say the Yankees have been looking for partners to move as much of Adam Ottavino’s $ 9 million luxury tax code for 2021 as possible. Would the Yankees give up better prospects if Pittsburgh took on Ottavino as well?