The New York Yankees have yet to make a move in free agency as they await the decision of Juan Soto.
However, Jim Bowden of The Athletic predicts the Yankees will lose Soto to the Mets in a 15-year $622 million deal. But, after losing Soto, Bowden predicts New York will sign starting pitcher Jack Flaherty to a three-year $52 million deal.
“The Yankees seem to be a perfect fit for Flaherty, whom they came close to acquiring at last season’s trade deadline,” Bowden wrote. “They ultimately nixed the potential deal over medical concerns about his lower back. However, if they are comfortable with his medical records and health risk this time, a deal with the righty still makes sense to bolster their rotation depth — and this way, the Yankees won’t have to part with prospects to get him. Flaherty, 29, went 13-7 last season with a 3.17 ERA over 28 starts. He struck out 194 in 162 innings and was worth 3.1 WAR.”
Losing Soto would be a disappointment for the Yankees, but adding Flaherty would be a nice consolation prize. New York would also likely look to add another bat in free agency if Soto does leave the Bronx.
Flaherty would be the Yankees’ third or fourth starter and would bolster its rotation. Last season, he went 13-7 with a 3.17 ERA between the Detroit Tigers and Los Angeles Dodgers. In the playoffs, he went 1-2 with a 7.36 ERA in 5 starts.
Yankees Talking to Ace Pitcher
Although Bowden predicts the Yankees will sign Flaherty, New York is talking to top-of-the-line starting pitchers.
According to Yankees reporter Michael Kay, the team has been in contact with left-hander Max Fried.
“The Yankees had a 90-minute Zoom call with Max Fried yesterday, and it supposedly went very well,” Kay said on December 4. “Somebody who’s on the Fried side said that Max really really liked them and apparently they’re going to have another meeting as well.”
Fried went 11-10 with a 3.25 ERA with the Atlanta Braves in 2024. The left-hander has spent his entire career with the Braves. He would be a No. 2 starter behind Gerrit Cole for the Yankees.
Yankees Owner Comments on Relationship With Soto
New York’s goal this offseason is to bring back Soto.
The Yankees traded for Soto and although he was in the Bronx for the full season, owner Hal Steinbrenner says he didn’t get to know the star outfielder all that much. But, if Soto returns, Steinbrenner says he wants their relationship to be much better.
“We didn’t get to know each other that well,” Steinbrenner said of Soto. “I was told that he is someone that when he’s in the clubhouse, he is in a zone like no other. With players like that, I just don’t like interrupting that process. And pulling someone aside, dragging them into [manager Aaron] Boone’s office and having conversations.
“But we did talk about that in California. And, should he be back next year, I made it clear that the kind of relationship I would like is the kind of relationship I have with Gerrit and Aaron Judge. That message was conveyed,” Steinbrenner added.
Soto hit .288 with 41 home runs and 109 RBIs with the Yankees in 2024.
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