The New York Yankees’ 2019 season proved to be one of its most successful in the last decade with 103 regular-season wins and a close battle with the Houston Astros in the American League Championship Series. While the team still fell short of the championships, the off-season free agent selection presents promising opportunities that could improve its roster prior to the 2020 season. This includes an abundance of talented pitchers, which some sportswriters consider to be the Yankees' greatest area of need. The team ranked 14th in the 2019 Major League Baseball (MLB) Team Stats with a combined earned run average (ERA) of 4.31. Here are six free agents that the Yankees could benefit from targeting in the 2019-20 off-season:
Gerrit Cole
A 29-year-old native of Newport Beach, California, Gerrit Cole was a finalist for the American League (AL) Cy Young Award in 2019 after he achieved a win-loss record of 20-5. Additionally, he achieved a league-best 2.50 ERA and 326 strikeouts, the latter of which was also a career high. Cole also finished 10th in the AL Most Valued Player (MVP) voting and earned his third All-Star distinction in 2019.
Cole was originally drafted out of high school by the Yankees in the first round of the 2008 Major League Baseball (MLB) Amateur Draft, but instead opted to play at the University of California, Los Angeles. He was then selected first overall by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 2011 MLB Amateur Draft and has since compiled a 94-52 win-loss record to go along with a 3.22 career ERA and 1,336 strikeouts. He has started at least 32 games in each of the past three seasons, and he remains a favorite among Yankees fans and baseball critics.
Stephen Strasburg
Stephen Strasburg is another strong free agent pitcher this off-season. The 31-year-old registered a wins above replacement (WAR) of 6.5 last season, which was just below the 6.8 figure recorded by Cole. He pitched for the Washington Nationals that season and finished with a record of 18-6, in addition to a 3.32 ERA and 251 strikeouts. Furthermore, he boasts the strikeout capabilities that the Yankees have targeted, and he achieved a 51.1 percent ground-ball rate in 2019, which was his best mark in this regard since 2013.
While some reporters in the baseball world expect Strasburg to re-sign with the Nationals, Strasburg could complement the Yankees' pitching staff in the playoffs. The first overall pick of the 2009 MLB Amateur Draft, he has a career playoff record of 6-2 to go along with a 1.46 ERA and 71 strikeouts through 55.1 innings pitched. He was named the World Series MVP in 2019.
Zack Wheeler
Zack Wheeler doesn't have the same pedigree as proven pitchers like Cole or Strasburg, but the 29-year-old former first-round pick of the New York Mets could be signed for considerably less and was deemed a perfect fit for the Yankees by MLB.com. Moreover, there's speculation that the Yankees' premier analytics department could help Wheeler reach his full potential as a star-quality pitcher. Although he has experienced injury troubles in the past, Wheeler was healthy during the past two seasons and posted a combined 8.9 WAR. He finished the 2019 campaign with a win-loss record of 11-8 and 3.96 ERA.
Travis d'Arnaud
The catcher position isn't an urgent need for the Yankees, but expanding its organizational depth can benefit the team if backup catcher Austin Romine opts to pursue other opportunities as a free agent. While the Yankees could still re-sign Romine, free agent Travis d'Arnaud is another attractive option. The 30-year-old former first-round pick of the Philadelphia Phillies hit 16 home runs in only 351 at bats with the Tampa Bay Rays last season and recorded a career-best 67 RBI.
Didi Gregorius
While there are several intriguing free agents who recently played with other organizations, it could serve the Yankees well to try re-signing some of its key contributors from last season. One of these players is shortstop Didi Gregorius. The 29-year-old's hold on the starting shortstop position is challenged by 22-year-old Gleyber Torres, but Gregorius has the edge in defensive capabilities. Moreover, if he were to rejoin the team, it would provide an opportunity for New York to augment DJ LeMahieu’s versatility as a utility infielder.
Brett Gardner
Brett Gardner could serve as a good insurance plan at center field, while Aaron Hicks recovers from Tommy John surgery. Gardner, who was selected by the Yankees in the third round of the 2005 MLB Amateur Draft, has spent his 12-year career with the team and has 124 home runs, 524 RBI, and a .260 batting average through 1,499 career regular season games. He also won the World Series with the team in 2009 and was named an All-Star in 2015.