An Injured Gerrit Cole
The Yankees head into the 2024 season knowing the best pitcher in baseball will not be available for 1-2 months. Coles’ absence is a massive blow to a team that had high hopes for the 2024 season, especially following the acquisitions of Juan Soto and Alex Verdugo. Now, everyone in the rotation has to move up a place and do their part for the Yankees to succeed. Even though Cole’s elbow MRI returned with no tears, the Yankees are concerned. There is also an unfortunate chance Cole won’t pitch in 2024. Therefore, the Yankees will need another solid starter to fill in. Even though Dylan Cease was recently traded to the San Diego Padres, Shane Bieber may be the better option for the Yankees.
Why Shane Bieber?
There is no starting pitcher the Yankees can acquire right now that will replace Gerrit Cole. However, there are strong options, such as Shane Bieber. The current state of the Yankees rotation is a big question mark, but with Bieber’s potential acquisition, the Yankees would gain an experienced Cy Young Award winner. Why is Bieber the right pitcher for the Yankees right now? For four reasons: he is a workhorse who throws a ton of innings, he consistently pitches to a strong ERA, he doesn’t walk batters, and the most critical fact is Bieber knows Matt Blake, the Yankees pitching coach. When Matt Blake was a member of the then-Cleveland Indians, Blake significantly helped develop young pitchers, and Bieber was no exception. If Bieber can work again with Blake, he could return to his former ace-like dominant form.
Another essential factor to remember is that Bieber will not cost a ton of prospects due to his pending free agency. He should be the pitcher whom the Yankees probe first. This is before turning to Jordan Montgomery and Blake Snell, as both would cost a ton of money and might prevent the Yankees from re-signing Juan Soto.
The possibility that you can keep a good haul of prospects from being traded away while also getting a great starting pitcher should be something the Yankees are all in on. Bieber would be a huge contributor to this team and can also boost the squad mentally. The deal as a whole makes too much sense to turn away from. If Gerrit Cole does come back at some point in 2024, then the Yankees may have one of the best rotations in the game with Shane Bieber.
How Would A Package Look?
The deal could get done if the Yankees headlined the trade package with Everson Periera and included a starting pitching prospect and an infielder. The Guardians need substantial outfield depth, and the many Yankees outfielders block Periera. This means he might not have a spot on the team. It makes sense Periera would be sent over in a potential deal. MLB Trade Simulator has him at a higher value than Shane Bieber. It will take more than Periera, but he is a good player.
Every baseball fan knows it is almost impossible to replace Gerrit Cole. However, Bieber makes the Yankees significantly more secure and a better team. With all the positive factors working his way, the Yankees would be ridiculous not to even consider trading for Bieber.
Main Photo Credits: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports
