Yankees Predicted to Steal $43 Million Pitcher From Division Rival
Getty
Yankees predicted to land former Red Sox starter.
The New York Yankees are predicted to sign a starting pitcher away from their arch-rival Boston Red Sox.
New York has a need in the rotation with Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodon both set to miss the beginning of the season. Although the Yankees‘ rotation is led by Max Fried, New York will look to sign a No. 4 or No. 5 starter for depth.
MLB insider Tim Kelly of Bleacher Report predicts the Yankees will sign Lucas Giolito to a two-year, $43 million deal with a $20 million club option for 2028.
“Lucas Giolito did not receive a qualifying offer from the Red Sox, which should help to improve his murky free-agent stock,” Kelly wrote. “On one hand, he was tremendous for the Red Sox this season, posting a 3.41 ERA across 145 innings after an internal brace procedure on his right elbow forced him to miss the entirety of the 2024 season. On the other hand, Giolito does have a major surgery in the not-so-distant past and a right elbow injury forced him to miss the ALWCS. …
“The Yankees—who have an ace in Max Fried, and hope Gerrit Cole will resemble one when he returns from Tommy John surgery—are looking more for a middle of the rotation arm. Jon Heyman of
Giolito went 10-4 with a 3.41 ERA in 26 starts last season with the Red Sox. The right-hander leaving Boston for the Yankees would only add to their rivalry in 2026.
Giolito Claims He’s Fully Healthy
Gioltio ended the season injured as he was unable to pitch in the playoffs.
However, after suffering the elbow injury, Giolito began rehabbing. He has since appeared on the Baseball Isn’t Boring podcast with Rob Bradford and claimed he’s healthy.
“Within three days, my elbow felt 100% fine again. ..,” Giolito said. “There’s no injury. Whatever injury there was, it’s gone. It was like a weird freak thing that just popped up at the worst possible time.”
Giolito, meanwhile, wasn’t surprised that the Red Sox didn’t offer him a qualifying offer due to the injury.
“I wasn’t banking on it,” Giolito said. “I was pretty sure I wasn’t gonna get it. Because I ended the year injured. That’s how it works. You end the year hurt; you’re not in a good spot to command a qualifying offer or whatever. So moving on.
“I thought it was obvious. I went into this offseason knowing full well I’d be a free agent. You end the year hurt; it puts a bad taste in the team’s mouth. It is what it is. The fortunate part was that it was like the most benign, weird freak injury that went away after a few days.”
Giolito was an All-Star in 2019.
Yankees Roster Moves Could Take Some Time
New York was eliminated in the ALDS by the Toronto Blue Jays.
Entering the offseason, the Yankees have plenty of questions surrounding their roster. New York is hopeful to re-sign some key players as well as add other players, which GM Brian Cashman said will take time.
I’m staying connected via phone with other clubs and agents,” Cashman said via Zoom at the GM Meetings. “You gather as much early information (as possible), but it seems like what usually plays out is, it’s going to take some time. Once we start heading to the Winter Meetings in Orlando, hopefully we’ll have a pretty clear definition of what’s going on.”
The Yankees are looking to win their first World Series since 2009.
Red Sox $120 Million All-Star Tabbed to Sign With New York Mets
Getty
Boston Red Sox third baseman Alex Bregman
The Boston Red Sox made a splash last offseason when they signed perennial all-star and World Series Champion Alex Bregman to a three-year, $120 million contract. Unfortunately for the Red Sox, despite his immediate impact on the field and in the locker room this season, Bregman decided to opt-out of the final two years with Boston and instead test the open market once again.
The third-baseman has been tabbed to sign with the New York Mets by Matthew Pouliot of NBC Sports.
Bregman was looking for length on a contract last offseason but failed to find it, so he settled with the Red Sox with the opt-out clause. Now, he seems to be in a better spot to find length as there are more teams interested in him this offseason, which he can use as a bargaining chip to sign a long-term deal.
The Mets have two contracts that will likely be unloaded in Pete Alonso and Edwin Diaz, who both opted out of their contracts, leaving New York with money to burn on a player like Bregman.
He would be a defensive upgrade at third base and provide power in the middle of the order in the absence of Pete Alonso, who is likely to sign elsewhere.
Bregman to Mets Could Lead to Alonso to Red Sox
If Alex Bregman does sign a contract with the New York Mets, it could light a fire under Red Sox general manager Craig Breslow to make a retaliatory move and sign Alonso. Boston has shown penny-pinching instincts in recent years, albeit before last season when they signed Bregman, Garrett Crochet and a slew of youngsters to deals.
Signing Alonso makes all the sense in the world for Boston. First and foremost, it would prove to the fanbase that the days of trying the “moneyball” approach are over, and that the Red Sox are invested in spending money to win.
Secondly, Alonso fills a vital need for Boston, both in the lineup and in the field. Without Bregman and Rafael Devers who was traded last season, power hitting was a huge concern for the Red Sox last season, a role Alonso could fill to perfection, especially with the green monster on his side for 81 games a season.
In the field, the Red Sox have been betrayed at first base by Triston Casas’ injury problems for three years straight. Alonso could finally provide stability at the position for Boston, something they haven’t had at first base in a long, long time.
Bregman’s Market Value
According to Spotrac, Bregman’s value on the open market is four years at roughly $110 million. Pouliot, in his story for NBC Sports, predicts that Bregman will sign a six-year, $168 million contract with the Mets.
Bregman’s longest contract of his career came in Houston, where he signed a five-year, $100 million deal. His contract in Boston paid double that in AAV, but he only had that for one season after the opt-out.
Other teams expected to be in the market for Bregman are the Seattle Mariners and the Detroit Tigers.
