Latest report on Yankees pursuing Freddy Peralta & Edward Cabrera + Weighing NL ROY candidates

00:00:04
Speaker 1: Better up.

00:00:05
Speaker 2: Chris Kershner is joining us writes for The Athletic and put out a good little article yesterday that we're about to dive into. Chris. Great to have you on here, and we called you as soon as we could when we saw the article you put out with Ken Rosenthal about the Yankees' interest in Edward Cabrera. But they're not the only ones. What else can you tell us?

00:00:23
Speaker 3: Yeah, so the Yankees do have interest in Edward Cabrera with the Marlins, as Ken and I reported yesterday. A couple of other teams are also in the mix, the Mets and the Cubs. But last month at the Winter meetings, Brian Cashman told reporters that he would quote love to add another starting pitcher. As you guys probably know and everybody watching, the Yankees are going to be without Garret Cole, Carlos Rodin, and Clark Schmidt to begin the season as they recover from their respective elbow surgery. So the Yankees' rotation right now is pretty thin, and that's not even mentioned. You know, the guys that they currently have on their rotation who are coming off of career highs and workloads. Max Freed Rodin is one of those guys too, Will Warren and Cam Schlitler. So the Yankees are definitely in the hunt for a starring pitcher. Cabrera is one of them, and Ken and I also reported in that same article that they are still talking to the Milwaukee Brewers about Freddie Peralta.

00:01:24
Speaker 1: Have they come off any of their previous statements from previous offseasons or even trade deadlines of like, can't have Spencer Jones, can't have Jason Dominguz because each year that these players don't have the All Star season, does it make them less valuable to other teams or less valuable to the Yankees where they could trade them. Have there been any words on those types of players and their other prospects.

00:01:51
Speaker 3: Well, they've had previous discussions about both of those guys at trade deadlines and offseasons, Domingiez and Jones. You know, they also remain in the mix to re sign Cody Bellinger, and if they resign Bellinger to a long term contract, one of those guys is likely going to be out of the picture. It wouldn't be a surprise at all to see either Domingez or Jones get traded. I probably would not think that either of those guys would be included in a possible Cabrera deal. But you know, with Peralta being a frontline starter, it would not be a surprise at all to see either Domingez or Jones in a package to land Peralta. I'm not saying that's going to happen, but I would not be stunned at all if if one of those guys is not in the Yankees organization by the start of spring training.

00:02:45
Speaker 4: Wow, that's a big that's a big thing. But what about a free agent the Yankees haven't one of the Yankees is going to make a splash in free agency? We keep hal Steinbrener said, they have no money, and they haven't gone out and gotten a Tucker or a Bellinger or anybody. I know they've resigned some of their guys, but when are they gonna make that Yankee splash because they're one of the teams that hasn't really made a splash that we expect to.

00:03:10
Speaker 3: Yeah, I mean, the the Athletic paid for me to go to Orlando and I had nothing to really write about it.

00:03:16
Speaker 4: Say Hi, you didn't even say hi. You didn't say hi to us.

00:03:19
Speaker 3: I'm sorry. Next time next time. But yeah, I mean, the the Yankees are the only American League East team to not make a notable external addition this offseason. You know, they've seen the Blue Jays get much better. You know, they they just signed Okamoto over the weekend. You know, they remain in the mix to sign Kyle Tucker. But yeah, I mean the Yankees are you know, their main priority, which is what they've been saying publicly, is to re sign Cody Bellinger. They've not made that a secret. You know, if they add one of these starters in Cabrera or Peralta, I think that would be a really nice move for the Yankees, but it's probably not satisfactory to you know, the Yankee faithful. They are hoping that they get much better from what they were this past season. And you know, they got eliminated in the Alds by the Blue Jays. The blue Jays had their number all season. You would think that the Yankees would try to make bigger moves. But you know one thing that they've been very clear about basically since the season ended, both Brian Cashman and Aaron Boone, is they think this roster is good. You know, they have the same record as the Blue Jays do I think that they're as good as the Blue Jays. I don't, but you know, I'm not getting paid to make those kinds of decisions. They feel like they have a good roster and we'll see if they're correct in twenty twenty six.

00:04:44
Speaker 1: Does the missing not even missing? Didn't even really like push hard on Emai? Is it more indicative of who they're actually going after for starting pitching or more about what Imai was going to bring to the table. And because the price really was, isn't that high and I thought he was Probably if they thought he was the big fish for them, as Cashman has said before, are white whale, then they would have gone after him and gotten him based on how much pitching they're going to need for the first three months of the season.

00:05:16
Speaker 3: Well, I think the industry said what they thought of em with that contract that he signed. I certainly thought that he was going to get more money than what he ended up signing with with the Astros three year, sixty three million dollars. You know, I did have multiple people with the Yankees early in the offseason expressed their interest in Emi. Obviously they didn't. They ended up not feeling similarly at the end when it came time to sign him before his posting window expired. But I definitely thought that it was a worthy person for them to go after, especially considering the price. You know, if he can realize his potential, that's a steal for Houston. And you know, it's definitely you know that organization has done a really good job of developing developing pitching over the past several years in that but I was certainly surprised that they didn't go after Emi. But if they end up getting a Cabrera or Peralta, both of those guys have shown that they can do well on the major league level. We have no idea what Emi is going to look like. Obviously we have some idea just with how advanced the data is now over in Japan. But I was definitely, very very surprised that they ended up passing on him, especially at the number that he signed at.

00:06:37
Speaker 4: Okay, you brought up Jason Dimingez and the other big name is Spencer Jones with the Yankees. Which one of these do you think they find more valuable. Jason Dimingez has put up has gotten some at bats in the big league. Spencer Jones hasn't really gotten that opportunity. So which one of these do you think the Yankees find more valuable and would be more reluctant to trade for a player that they they might desperately need, like you said, because their rotation is thin at the moment.

00:07:03
Speaker 3: I've heard mixed reviews from their own organization regarding Spencer Jones, So just that alone, I would imagine that they feel that Dominguez has more value long term. Also, you have to take into account that Dimingez is only twenty two years old and he already has major league experience. You know, he didn't have the season that I think many people expected him to have. You know, he went into the year with you know, a starting role basically guaranteed in left field. You know, we did not know that Trent Grisham was going to end up having the season that he had, and he ended up taking uh Diminguz's playing time essentially with him and center and then moving Bellinger to left field. So we didn't expect that. But he was still a slightly above league average hitter this past season. Domingez, so I think he certainly has potential. He obviously has to get better defensively, he was a disaster in left field, one of the worst overall outfielders defensively this past year. If he doesn't get better, then you wonder just where he's going to fit long term. But with him being twenty two, Spencer Jones being twenty five, striking out nearly thirty three percent of the time in the minor leagues this past season, I think it's pretty obvious that Domingez has more value long.

00:08:27
Speaker 1: Term bobas sheet. The Yankees have said that they were or talking to him or have reached out. Is that more of a make sure the next team, the Blue Jays, or if the Red Sox have to pivot to him pay the most, or is it something that there could be a fit with other things moving around. If Boba Schett were to sign with the Yankees.

00:08:54
Speaker 3: Well, if Bellinger is their number one priority, I do not think that they would be getting both Bellinger and Bushett. It would be likely that Bishett would be a backup option if Bellinger goes elsewhere, which I am not expecting. I do think that eventually the Yankees and Bellinger will agree to a new deal, But I've heard that the Yankees interest in Boshett is really not even that solidified. Yes, they've checked in. The one thing I will say about checking in on free agents is it is the job of the general manager to check in on everybody that's out there. You know, they It doesn't mean that they're necessarily one hundred percent interested in that player or going to sign them. But you know, Brian Cashman is not doing his due diligence if he doesn't check in to see where Bischett's market is, which teams might be interested. But you know, as of today, I don't think that the Yankees and Bashett is a realistic possibility.

00:10:01
Speaker 4: Okay, we got to ask about the scouting director or the international Edgar Edgar Matteo getting dismissed so close to the international signing? What do they call it deadline or opening or whatever? The window whatever it's called right now? Right the period?

00:10:18
Speaker 1: Yeah, good points, gott period.

00:10:20
Speaker 4: But is this a big deal for the Yankees? Are they looking to go in a different direction? Why do you make this move? You had a whole year basically to do this. Why are they making this move so close to the period.

00:10:30
Speaker 3: Yeah, so Edgar was the assistant to Donnie Roland. They got rid of Donnie Roland a few weeks ago. Now, Donnie had been in the organization for over a decade. But you know, if you go through the Yankees international free agents in the past several years now, there have been numerous multi million dollar misses with the Yankees. They just haven't really executed that portion of their organization as well as they have hoped. You know, Domingez has been their best international signing, and you know, the jerry is still out on what kind of player Dimingez might be. You know, they gave five million dollars to Roderick Arius a few years ago, and he doesn't look like he's going to be the kind of player that they thought he would be. So if you go through just you know, on Baseball America, some of the dollar figures that they have given out over the past several years, there are not many hits for the Yankees. They've signed Carlos Lagronje, who's now one of their top pitching prospects. I believe he got like ten thousand dollars a few years ago. They've hit on some of those guys, like the lower level guys. But when you're talking about international free agency, especially for a team like the Yankees, who's never drafting high in the draft. You have to make sure like that part of your organization is as well as it can be, and it's not. So that's why the Yankee He's are now in the market for a director of international and an assistant director. As you mentioned, they got rid of Edgar a few days ago, but it's the timing is not great because the international free agency period opens on January fifteenth. You know, a few weeks ago they lost their number one guy I do not know how to pronounce his last name, wandhy Asi g e N to the Mets. I think he signed for three point six million dollars. I know several people in the Yankees organization were very high on his potential. But you know, those are the things that happen when you do make those moves. You know, you look at college football when coaches go elsewhere, some of those players end up hitting the transfer portal. So it's no different here with international free agency.

00:12:50
Speaker 2: Hey Chris, thanks for jumping on with us. Great article, going back to where we started here on the Yankees looking at Cabrera and Freddie p and others. Thanks for joining us, did yep, thanks for having me today's futures pick for Bet MGM and L Rookie of the Year odds. The top three here Nolan MacLean plus three forty, South Stewart plus five hundred, Bubba Chandler plus seven hundred, Jj Weatherholts also plus seven hundred, Moises balistais plus eight hundred, Justin Crawford plus nine hundred, And then you know it starts to get lengthy, or there anybody on there, and there's a longer list that you guys have in your little notes if you want to go further down the board.

00:13:31
Speaker 1: Connor Griffin twelve hundred might be the last time you see four four numbers behind his name. I think the Pirates are making the moves that reminds me back of when Fernando Tatis. Obviously they're not making the same big moves like the Padres did, but Tatis in nineteen had some veterans go in after during spring training and say, this guy has to make the team. And I was on the Giants and he made his debut that series against against US. And obviously Tatis's you know, his career has had some ups and downs, but there's there's electric in there and Connor Griffin has shown he has that same same electric not just ability on the field, but also the fact that, like Pittsburgh's, a normal Pittsburgh team would not have called him up until the until the free agency whatever that window is. Now, with the extra bonuses you get as a team, I think they'll be less hesitant to make the move and go, look, we won another year. We think you're ready. We see this in you. You're our starting shortstop in the big leagues. And I think anytime that happens, I think he's gonna he's gonna hit the ground running. And you know, I think it would be his his his award to lose.

00:14:49
Speaker 2: He turns twenty in April, that would.

00:14:51
Speaker 4: They give him a shot to make the team and be the short stop. He'll probably win it, you think so, I think I think his ae year old shortstop. I think it's between him and I think Nolan McLain, with what we saw from him with the Mets last year, is the other guy if he stays healthy. Those are the two I would rather put my money, like Kraut said on Connor Griffin, just because the plus twelve hundred is a better bet for me. I don't think Ballisterio is gonna get another bets just In Crawford. I don't know if he makes that team out of spring training. He might, he might not tong and didn't impress me enough. Bryce Eldridge tough play San Francisco to hit that hurts mem Chandler. Are they gonna start him? Are they going to pitch him out of bullpen? What are they gonna do? Sal Stewart strikes out too much for me. I think it's McLean and Griffin if he makes the team out of spring training, those are the two for me.

00:15:33
Speaker 2: I like value with Justin Crawford. I mean, you have to keep an eye on maybe spring training.

00:15:38
Speaker 4: The one thing about Justin Crawford that he has Ann McClain. They play in big markets.

00:15:42
Speaker 2: Wait, that helps you big markets A very good regular season lineup where he can just slot right in. You're gonna drive in a lot of runs, score a lot of runs.

00:15:51
Speaker 3: Right.

00:15:51
Speaker 2: He's an all around player, so the war should help him, defense, speed. I think all of those things that up and Justin Crawford has some value. I'm not saying he's gonna win, but there's value there. And they waited. I mean, he's this will be. It's not he's not old, but this will be his age twenty two season. He's durning twenty two this month. So I just like that play. I think Justin Crawford could contribute because even if the bat's not supreme, got good support around you, and other parts of his game are gonna be good.

00:16:18
Speaker 4: Right, Yeah, but if he doesn't get off to a good start, it's there's a lot.

00:16:21
Speaker 2: But I agree, Yeah, I just don't. I think they're leaving a spot open for him to be a somewhat every day guy.

00:16:28
Speaker 1: Okay, it's his Yeah, it's his spot to win or I wouldn't say to lose. But he starts to win. He stills to show he can elevate pitches. He hits the ball hard. It's a lot on the ground. Everybody got on me. No, he's a left fielder. They really like what they see in centerfield, and I think they're gonna give him a chance because they want had to be the everyday guy and not platoon their center field position, which will help in the Rookie of the Year stuff.

00:16:53
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