NEW YORK — The Yankees have a problem. Their starting rotation is thin. Three key arms are on the shelf. And the front office appears content to stand pat.
That decision has left many MLB observers scratching their heads. The Mets just landed Freddy Peralta. The Rangers grabbed MacKenzie Gore. Both pitchers came off the trade block within hours of each other. Both would have fit nicely in the Bronx.
Yet the Yankees watched from the sidelines. And now, two elite arms remain off their radar entirely.
Skubal’s price tag shuts down talks
AP
Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal is the best pitcher in baseball. He won back-to-back American League Cy Young Awards. His 2.21 ERA led all MLB starters last season. His 241 strikeouts trailed only Garret Crochet in the league.
“Tarik Skubal is super elite, and the Tigers are well within their rights to expect a huge return if they surprise us and deal him,” Jon Heyman of the New York Post wrote on Jan. 22. “After brief talks, the Yankees and Mets quickly figured they have no chance.”
The asking price was astronomical. Heyman reported the Yankees got the impression it would take “half the team” to pry Skubal away from Detroit. Brian Cashman apparently decided that price was too steep.
The Tigers are currently in an arbitration standoff with their ace. Skubal filed for $32 million. Detroit countered at just $19 million. That $13 million gap represents the largest in MLB salary arbitration history.
Free agent starters also off limits
The trade market was one option. Free agency was another. Both doors appear closed for New York.
According to MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand, the Yankees are not expected to pursue any of the top free agent starters still available. That includes New Jersey native Zac Gallen, who grew up just a few hours from Yankee Stadium in Somerdale.
“The Yankees had been in contact with the Brewers about Peralta, but now that he’s off the board, I don’t expect them to be in the mix for any of the free-agent starters, including Valdez, Zac Gallen, Chris Bassitt or Lucas Giolito,” Feinsand wrote.
Gallen is coming off a difficult season with the Arizona Diamondbacks. He posted a 4.83 ERA and a career-low 21.5% strikeout rate. Still, at 30 years old, he remains one of the more reliable starters when healthy. The Cubs have been most closely linked to Gallen in recent weeks.
Framber Valdez is another name floating around the market. The left-hander has been connected to the Mets, Orioles, Giants and Cubs. But the Yankees apparently have no interest in that direction either.
The rotation holes are real
The Yankees enter 2026 without three key starters. Gerrit Cole continues recovering from Tommy John surgery. His return is not expected until late May or early June. Carlos Rodon underwent an elbow cleanup procedure in October. He could miss Opening Day. Clarke Schmidt also had Tommy John surgery last July and may not pitch until the second half.
That leaves Max Fried as the clear ace for Opening Day. He went 19-5 with a 2.86 ERA in 2025. Behind him, the Yankees will rely on Cam Schlittler, Will Warren, Luis Gil and newly acquired Ryan Weathers.
Schlittler impressed as a rookie last season. Warren showed flashes of potential. But counting on a rotation full of young, unproven arms in a division that includes the Blue Jays? That is a risky bet.
Critics blast Yankees’ approach
Talkin’ Baseball@X
The Yankees brought back Cody Bellinger on a five-year, $162.5 million deal. That was their biggest move of the winter. It was also expected. SNY’s Sal Licata did not hold back his criticism.
“Yanks are bringing back Cody Bellinger. Real shocker there,” Licata said on the Jan. 21 edition of “Baseball Night in New York.” “The Yankees needed them, and he had no better options. Clearly, the Mets didn’t really want them. So now that that’s settled, can the Yanks actually try to improve the team? The idea shouldn’t be to stay the same and hope for the best.”
Licata added: “What the heck has happened to the Yankees being so complacent?”
Division rivals continue to improve
The Toronto Blue Jays beat the Yankees in four games during the ALDS last October. It was not close. The Jays have since added Dylan Cease on a seven-year, $210 million deal. They brought in Kazuma Okamoto from Japan. They remain the team to beat in the AL East.
SNY’s John Jastremski shared similar concerns about the Yankees’ direction.
“They’re not good enough right now,” Jastremski said. “The Toronto Blue Jays beat them up every which way imaginable last year. In games north of the border, the Yankees couldn’t beat them. They played in the American League Division Series. It wasn’t particularly close.”
He continued: “I think the Yankees are making a foolish mistake if they look at their team and say, ‘Hey, guess what? Gerrit Cole is coming back.’ Here’s our lineup. They love the stock line of, ‘Oh, we won the same amount of games as the Toronto Blue Jays last year.’ They also lost in four games and got thoroughly outclassed.”
What options remain for New York
The Yankees still have pieces to deal if they change course. Jasson Dominguez and Spencer Jones are both available. Either could be included in a trade package for pitching help.
But with Skubal essentially off the table and free agents like Gallen and Valdez drawing zero interest, the Yankees appear committed to their current roster.
The Tigers, meanwhile, seem content to keep their ace. Heyman noted Detroit has no intention of giving Skubal away.
“There’s nothing wrong with keeping MLB’s best pitcher,” Heyman wrote. “And the Tigers signed two free agent closers and extended star manager A.J. Hinch in summer, which suggests they aim to make the playoffs a third straight season. The Tigers are actually looking to add a starting pitcher.”
For the Yankees, spring training is less than three weeks away. The rotation questions remain unanswered. And two of baseball’s most attractive pitching options are simply not on their list.
