The New York Yankees and New York Mets’ pursuit of Roki Sasaki got a very disappointing update on Monday.
It has been a very productive last couple of months for the Yankees and Mets. The team from Queens filled several important holes in the starting rotation and gave Juan Soto, the top free agent this offseason, a record-breaking $765 million deal in December.
However, the Bronx Bombers quickly recovered from losing the All-Star outfielder to their crosstown rivals and made a slew of major moves. Including the signing of All-Star Max Fried and trading for former NL MVP Cody Bellinger. Yet, neither team is done this winter and Japanese ace Roki Sasaki was another name on their offseason wish list.
But on Monday, SNY MLB insider Andy Martino revealed that both New York baseball clubs had been informed that the 23-year-old will not be bringing his talents to Gotham this year. If both teams still want to add an arm to their rotations in 2025, here are five veteran impact pitchers they could target in the days ahead.
Max Scherzer
New York Mets fans are familiar with Max Scherzer after a year-and-a-half stint with the team a couple of years ago. The 39-year-old is far removed from his prime. But when healthy he is still a meaningful big-league pitcher. And would come at a far cheaper rate than the $43 million year deal they signed him to in 2022.
This is probably the eight-time All-Star’s last season in the league. So he is sure to want to compete for a title contender. Signing with either the Yankees or Mets would be a realistic option to be on a winning team and make a solid chunk of money while doing it.
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Lance Lynn
Two-time All-Star Lance Lynn had a bounceback season in 2024. And showed he can still be an impactful arm after 13 seasons in the league. He played on a reasonable $11 million deal last season. Chances are he gets around the same in free agency this year. As a back-of-the-rotation arm, he would be a good addition to either NYC club.
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Clayton Kershaw
Chances are Clayton Kershaw re-signs with the Los Angeles Dodgers. So he can be the rare modern-day future Hall-of-Famer to play with only one team. However, the fact that he hasn’t re-signed yet may open the door to taking offers from other teams. This may also be the three-time Cy Young winner’s final season. If he isn’t in LA in 2025, bringing his legendary brand to New York is very possible.
Jack Flaherty
Kershaw’s Dodgers teammate Jack Flaherty is the best pitcher left in MLB free agency. This means if either the New York Yankees or Mets want him he will cost a pretty penny. Pitching is key to winning a championship. So luring the 29-year-old away from LA not only hurts a top rival it bolsters either team’s roster for a title run.
Jose Quintana
Jose Quintana has been a rock-solid arm for the Mets over the last two seasons. While it seems unlikely the Amazins will bring him back, they could do far worse for a fourth or fifth starter. Likewise for the Yankees. Plus, he has proven he can be productive under the New York spotlight. And he would come at a reasonable rate after both clubs spent big this offseason.