"Their offers were coming in short" - MLB analyst drops startling reason behind New York Yankees' failed pursuits in the offseason
The New York Yankees have been in the spotlight this off-season by acquiring some of the most talented players in the market, like Juan Soto, Alex Verdugo and Trent Grisham.
Despite their best efforts to bolster their bullpen in the upcoming season, the team fell short in several key pursuits, especially in the pitching department.
MLB insider Robert Murray had shed light on the New York Yankees’ off-season struggles. In a recent interview on Foul Territory, he said that the Yankees were interested in signing several pitchers who ended up signing with other teams as the Yankees were not willing to increase their offers or be as competitive as other teams.
“I had heard that their offers were coming in short, compared to what some of these other teams were offering and they weren't really budging," Murray said.
"I thought Middleton made a whole lot of sense for the Yankees and I thought that deal was probably going to get done. But the Cardinals ultimately ended up stepping up. They offered a more lucrative, one-year deal than the Yankees did and the Cardinals also included a club option on that as well. So, I think the total value on that if the option is picked up is two years for 11 million.”
According to Murray, the Yankees have been unwilling to meet the necessary changes in the offer to secure their desired players in the market. One example was their hunt for Keynan Middleton, who ultimately signed for the St. Louis Cardinals.
The same happened while dealing with players like Phil Maton and Ryan Brasier, where the offers were not good enough to convince the players to join the team. Despite the struggles in free agency, the Yankees acquired the left-handed pitcher Caleb Ferguson from the LA Dodgers.
Room for more additions in the New York Yankees
Murray thinks that there is still plenty of opportunity for the team to be more active in building their roster strong enough to compete for the World Series in the upcoming MLB season.
"If you end up getting a Juan Soto, obviously, that's a meaningful piece for them, but getting more, I think is something that should be of high priority for that front office," Murray said.
As the off-season progresses, the pressure will be on the Yankees front office to invest in the team’s success while maintaining the financial responsibility to build a championship-worthy roster and reclaim their stature as a premier franchise in the upcoming season.