MLB Rumors: New York Yankees Emerging As Favorites To Add Yu Darvish
One of the top MLB rumors regarding Yu Darvish to the New York Yankees is not a sure bet. However, there are reports that the free agent pitcher and the Yankees are negotiating, increasing the odds of Darvish signing with the Yankees. How soon a deal can take place between Yu Darvish and the Yankees remains to be seen. Darvish is an MLB free agent until he signs his name on the dotted line.
After over six weeks of overall inactivity in the MLB offseason, things appear to be heating up. Thus far it has been the New York Yankees dominating much of the news.
It was the New York Yankees who stole the headlines with their trade (courtesy of MLB.com) for Giancarlo Stanton over a month ago.
Adding the reigning National League MVP has already made the Yankees the team to beat in the American League East. If the Yankees can also add a top of the line starting pitcher, things will all but be cemented with the Yankees opening the MLB season as a World Series favorite. Yu Darvish could become the pitcher who lands with the Yankees thanks in part to a blockbuster trade on Saturday.
The Houston Astros acquired Gerrit Cole from the Pittsburgh Pirates in a five-player swap, according to ESPN. Cole was one of the Yankees’ targets. Now the New York Yankees must focus on the MLB free agency market for pitching. One of the hottest MLB rumors going around is that the Yankees are going after Yu Darvish.
Yu Darvish confirms #Yankees are one of six teams he'd sign with in free agency: https://t.co/vILrHy3Q5M pic.twitter.com/DwDar8dX3F
— YES Network (@YESNetwork) January 11, 2018
According to the New York Daily News, Yu Darvish is emerging as a top priority for the Yankees. Much like the other top free agents this offseason, what is holding things up for the Yankees is their refusal to overpay a player based on past performances.
This holding pattern is the chief reason why Yu Darvish has remained unsigned up until this point. Darvish joins Jake Arrieta and Alex Cobb as the top pitchers in MLB free agency.
The YES Network is reporting that Yu Darvish has confirmed that the New York Yankees are in the running for his services. The Yankees are one of five teams that Yu Darvish is considering.
One MLB rumor that was circulating had the New York Yankees offering Yu Darvish a seven-year deal, in the ballpark of $160 million. That rumor has since been dismissed.
The Yankees may want to continue to add to their roster if they are successful in signing Yu Darvish. With the acquisition of Giancarlo Stanton, a huge salary already sits on the Yankees’ books.
The Yankees want to maximize their roster while players such as Aaron Judge remains on a small money contract. The salary flexibility is easily gobbled up if the Yankees were to give Yu Darvish the rumored deal.
The first pitching domino has fallen with the trade of Gerrit Cole to the Houston Astros. Not only are the Astros out of the running for Yu Darvish, their trade could have some intriguing ramifications for the New York Yankees and other teams seeking pitching.
The trade hurt the value of every top pitcher on the MLB free agent market. Yu Darvish could wind up signing with the New York Yankees or another MLB team soon now that one potential suitor is off the board.
