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Should Yankees scoop up high upside Guardians outcast pitcher?

Originally posted on Empire Sports Media
By Dylan Backer | Last updated Apr 25, 2025 1:58 PM ET

The New York Yankees desperately need help in the starting rotation. While Max Fried has been as advertised and Carlos Rodón is hitting his stride, the rest of the rotation has many question marks.

Yankees could pursue recently DFA’d pitcher Triston McKenzie

With Gerrit Cole out for the season from Tommy John surgery, the Yankees will need to add a pitcher at some point to ensure that their rotation is well-equipped for October. One option that they could take a flyer on is former Cleveland Guardians starter Triston McKenzie.

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McKenzie had spent his first five years with the Guardians before recently being DFA’d by the team after a prolonged stretch of struggles. He has an 11.12 ERA in four games out of the bullpen and has struck out just four in 5.2 innings.

Despite his immense struggles, the Yankees could turn him back into the pitcher that he once was. In 2022, he posted a 2.96 ERA in 31 starts and recorded 190 strikeouts in 191.1 innings pitched.

McKenzie could turn his career around with the Yankees

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McKenzie had shown great promise as a long-term starting option for Cleveland, but injuries have completely derailed his career. However, his young age of just 27 makes him a strong candidate to take a flier on and possibly carve out a role for him.

Pitching coach Matt Blake has a knack for fixing pitchers who need a retool, and he could help McKenzie return to his ace form. Ultimately, it is unclear if McKenzie is truly on the Yankees’ radar, but he would be a low-risk, high-reward type of signing if they chose to add him to the rotation.

This article first appeared on Empire Sports Media and was syndicated with permission.

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