The New York Yankees focused on their pitching this offseason, but one insider expects them to go big fish hunting again.
MLB insider Bob Nightengale of USA Today believes the Yankees will be one of the front runners to sign Arizona Diamondbacks ace Zac Gallen. Gallen is in the final year of team control, earning $13.5 million in 2024. He will be in line for a massive payday in free agency.
“While the Yankees were striking out 13 times against Diamondbacks ace Zac Gallen, the front office was drooling. Gallen will be a free agent after the season, and loves life back East growing up in the Philadelphia area,” Nightengale wrote. “The Diamondbacks would love to have him back. But it’s unrealistic to believe they can afford two $200 million pitchers on their staff with Corbin Burnes signing a six-year, $210 million contract last winter.”
As Nightengale writes, the Diamondbacks are unlikely to be able to afford Gallen. The insider also expects the pitcher to get over $200 million in free agency.
Gallen is a one-time All-Star who would further strengthen the Yankees’ rotation. In 2024, he went 14-6 with a 3.65 ERA in 28 starts. To begin the 2025 season, Gallen is 1-1 with a 3.38 ERA in 2 starts, including going 6.2 scoreless innings against the Yankees.
Gallen Just Focused on Pitching Amid Looming Free Agency
Gallen is expected to be the top free-agent starter available in free agency. But, he says he’s just focused on pitching.
Although Gallen knows there will be questions about his future, he says his focus is just on pitching and helping the Diamondbacks win as many games as possible.
“I think acknowledging that it’s there. Acknowledging that it’s a thing and understanding that this is what happens when you get to this point in your career, I think is the best way, I feel, to go about it,” Gallen said to Arizona Sports’ Burns & Gambo on February 24. “Because either way you’re going to lock yourself in and just embrace it. It’s like, I just have to go out, give my team a chance to win, be healthy and compete, and the rest takes care of itself.”
Gallen admits he is thinking about his free agency, as it is hard to ignore. But he is using it as motivation to have a career year to cement himself as a true ace.
Yankees Have Injury Woes to Rotation
New York went out and signed Max Fried in the offseason to bolster the rotation.
However, the Yankees lost ace Gerrit Cole for the season due to Tommy John surgery. Luis Gil is also sidelined. It forces a need to add to the rotation, but general manager Brian Cashman admitted it would be tough to add.
“We’ll just evaluate what’s available, and this time of year, very little is available,” Cashman said. “Normally, the more significant opportunities don’t exist until the Trade Deadline. “When we’ve had these conversations many a time over, you hope you can withstand injuries and avoid injuries early from Spring Training up through the Draft. Because going outside the organization is just that much more difficult to do. So we’ll rely on what we have, and we’ll explore what is limited available in the marketplace.”
The Yankees are currently relying on Fried, Carlos Rodon, Marcus Stroman, Will Warren, and Carlos Carrasco in the rotation.
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