Yankee Pitching Updates & Mishapps!

MisHAPP….get it?

Happ likes it. In this picture he’s smiling at me.

Anyway… last night Ken Rosenthal took a rare swing and a miss with J.A. Happ. It was reported that Happ signed a three-year deal to return to the Bronx, but later he retracted his statement. It happens, even Rosenthal is human. No biggie.

I’ve seen multiple reports out there that Happ is holding out for a third year, and is willing to sign with the first team to offer it to him. It is rumored that he has a few two-year offers on the table from other contending teams.

Happ did pitch well last season, especially against the AL East so him holding out for a third year isn’t hard to understand from his point of view. The real question is, should the Yankees feel comfortable giving him that third year he’s looking for or are the Yankees just being cheap?

Some sources believe a Happ deal can still happen even without that third year.

I am not eager to give Happ a third year, but then again I am not eager to miss out on another starting pitcher either. The Yankees already missed out on deals with two of the top two starters this season due to ONE year. It’s odd to see the Yankees get outbid on a guy, especially over one extra year, but it has already happened twice in this young offseason.

The Yankees maxed out their offer on Patrick Corbin at five years but he signed for six. The Yankees didn’t want to go beyond three years on Nathan Eovaldi, but Boston gave him four. It’s only December, but one year has been a deal breaker for the Yankees so far….will it continue? The Phillies are also in on Happ, too. Will they give Happ the third year? They also lost out on Corbin, so maybe they are feeling extra aggressive.

I guess we will have to wait and see what happens with Happ, and if Joel Sherman is right. One thing we know definitely won’t be happening is a reunion with Lance Lynn. He just signed a three-year deal with the Texas Rangers.

I’m surprised Lynn got a three-year deal….and that he got $30 million after his struggles last season. I was thinking Lynn might get to years at $15-16 million. Lynn struggles (a lot) and gets three years, but Happ hasn’t yet. Did the Rangers out-bid themselves or is a three-year deal just going to be the minimal going rate?

Oh and in case you liked Charlie Morton, he’s no longer an option either. He just signed with the Tampa Bay Rays, so we’ll be seeing a lot of him.

So if the Yankees do miss out on Happ, who is next? Dallas Keuchel? We already know THE BRAVES WANT KEUCHEL. DO THE YANKEES? It’s a good question. The big names are disappearing, and after Happ the list gets shorter. It would be nice to not have to bat against him anymore. He’s willing, he’s able and he’s proven in the postseason. I think more teams should have shown more interest in him by now.

Can’t forget the bullpen either. There have been a lot of rumors out there, and if there is any merit to some of these a reunion with Zach Britton or David Robertson could be bleak.

The Yankees did meet with Adam Ottavino’s agent last night. He’s a local boy that would be dynamite to help strengthen the bullpen. Oh and he says he would strike Babe Ruth out “every time,” read more HERE. Hey, at least he doesn’t lack confidence.

It’s definitely early, but if the Yankees want to make the necessary improvements to win a championship we NEED the pitching. It sucks losing a guy, especially over one-year. I don’t think it becomes a pattern though, at least I hope not. If it does the list gets way too short and names like Gio Gonzalez rise to the top, and that scares me.

–Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa
BYB Managing Editor
Twitter: @nyprincessj