Having won 27 World Titles, the New York Yankees undoubtedly have the richest history in all of baseball.
This is a franchise with a die-hard fan base expecting to compete for a World Series title on an annual basis. Dating back to the team’s last championship in 2009, the Yankees have been somewhat irrelevant compared to a host of other ballclubs who’ve since passed New York as a constant threat in postseason play.
With Aaron Judge and Gerrit Cole both in their respective primes, now is the time to truly maximize the brilliance of both while they’re still top-level players. By doing so, this means giving the team the best chance possible at winning a World Series this year.
Trading for Juan Soto was certainly a start. However, more needs to be done to make New York a true contender — or even perhaps the favorite in the American League.
The move we’re talking about? Signing Blake Snell.
He’s the big fish still out on the open market. The 2-time Cy Young Award winner happens to be good friends with none other than Judge. He’s spent years torturing hitters in both the American League and the AL East. At age 31 with a relatively clean bill of health and a lower amount of innings pitched than you’d think, Snell seems like the ideal person to pair with Cole at the top of the Yankees rotation.
The new regime has consistently spent less frivolously than the late George Steinbrenner. Bringing Snell on board this year, on top of needing to re-sign Soto, could seem a bit unrealistic.
Projected Yankees Rotation
1. Gerrit Cole
2. Carlos Rodón
3. Marcus Stroman
4. Nestor Cortes
5. Clarke Schmidt
However, this is the Yankees we’re talking about! A franchise historically hellbent on winning a ring by any means necessary. The sport of baseball is better with the ‘hated’ Yankees steamrolling everyone en route to inevitable dominance in October. The built-in villain aspect might currently sit with the Dodgers (aka the new-age Yankees).
Imagine a bicoastal situation where Snell, Judge, Soto, and Cole square off versus the likes of Shohei Ohtani, Freddie Freeman, Mookie Betts, and Yoshinobu Yamamoto. That would truly be must-see television.
As it currently stands, New York might not have the pitching depth to make this dream a reality. There are some real questions after Cole.
Carlos Rodón has been awful since signing as a free agent. Marcus Stroman is a quality innings eater — though you wonder if his stuff will be good enough to consistently get out hitters in postseason play. Can Nestor Cortes regain the form he demonstrated in 2022? Can one of Luke Weaver, Clarke Schmidt, or Clayton Beeter function as a credible No. 5 pitcher?
A big chunk of these concerns can be settled by doing one thing…
Signing Blake Snell.
