Blake: Yanks might not need another starter

While brand-name starters are still floating around free agency and the trade block, the Yankees’ pitching coach doesn’t feel his team must add another one.

“I don’t think we necessarily need another starter,” Matt Blake said. “You just have to be willing to live with – you’re not going to use five guys for the whole season. It just doesn’t work that way. So you have to be comfortable with who six, seven, eight and nine are.

“I wouldn’t say we’ve necessarily got that flushed out or what that order looks like, but I know we have some interesting candidates.”

While the Yankees missed out on their top starting target, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, they recently signed Marcus Stroman, a move Blake is fond of. Stroman will slot into a projected rotation that also includes Gerrit Cole, Carlos Rodón, Nestor Cortes and Clarke Schmidt.

But as Blake noted, teams need more than just five starters. The Yankees are no stranger to this concept, as poor performances, pain and other absences decimated their rotation last year. Rodón and Cortes were among the injured underachievers, but the Yankees are counting on bounce-backs from the lefty tandem this year.

Comments from Yankee leadership — and a picture on social media — have suggested that Rodón’s physique has improved after an injury-riddled debut season, while reports on Cortes have been encouraging after he battled shoulder issues in 2023. The two reported to camp early.

“It’s nice to see them make the commitment to getting in there and getting their feet underneath them in Tampa and hitting the ground running,” Blake said. “Their throwing programs and workouts have been going well so far.”

Even if those two return to AllStar form, the Yankees are still going to need some extra starters here and there. So who are the “interesting candidates” Blake mentioned?

The depth includes, in no particular order, Will Warren, Clayton Beeter, Chase Hampton, Luis Gil, Yoendrys Gómez, Luke Weaver, Cody Poteet and Cody Morris. The first three are top prospects who have yet to debut, while the last three have been starters and relievers in the majors.

Blake said Weaver, Poteet and Morris — all re-signed or acquired this offseason — will likely be built up as starters in spring training. At minimum, that would set them up for swingmen roles.

Weaver, a former top prospect in whom Blake sees untapped potential, has the most experience of the group, but he’s largely struggled throughout his career. Gil and Gómez have combined for eight MLB games.

As the Yankees weigh whether those names are enough, pricey free agents Blake Snell and Jordan Montgomery are still available. Meanwhile, trade rumors have swirled around Corbin Burnes, Dylan Cease, Shane Bieber and others. Those pitchers would be upgrades over Schmidt on paper, but Brian Cashman recently gave the young righty a vote of confidence.

“I was really proud of the season he had last year,” the general manager said. “Looking forward to running him back out there in 2024. He’s earned the right, and hopefully, he continues to take even further steps forward. I think he’s got a high ceiling.

“We’re counting on him to be a fixture in that rotation.”

That quote came last week after Cashman danced around a question asking whether his rotation is set.

“We have a very strong team in my opinion, but we always try to look to improve upon it where we can and when we can,” Cashman said.

He offered a similar answer when asked if he’s primarily focused on improving the bullpen.

Asked if he expected the Yankees to add another reliever, Blake said it “sounds like they’re working that way.” He acknowledged reports linking the team to Hector Neris, Wandy Peralta and Keynan Middleton but added, “I’m not sure where we’re at internally on them.”

The coach also said the Yankees could simply go with what they have in relief.

Blake suggested Victor González, a lefty acquired from the Dodgers, could fill Peralta’s old role. He also talked up a few pitchers the club added on minor-league deals, including groundball specialist Yerry De Los Santos.