Yankees’ options after Yoshinobu Yamamoto whiff, including Corbin Burnes, with scouting reports

The Yankees took a big swing and miss at their No. 1 free-agent quest.

All in on Japanese sensation Yoshinobu Yamamoto, the Yankees struck out late Thursday night when the 25-year-old righty opted to join countryman Shohei Ohtani by accepting the Dodgers’ 12-year, $325-million offer.

This is a massive whiff for the Yankees, whose rotation depth chart is down to four starters due to this month’s trade with the Padres for All-Star outfielder Juan Soto. Michael King was in the deal along with two fill-in options who impressed as rookies last season, Jhony Brito and Randy Vasquez.

The Yankees also parted ways with Domingo German, who was non-tendered due to his latest off-the-field issue.

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For the time being, the Yankees have reigning AL Cy Young winner Gerrit Cole as their No. 1, plus fellow righty Clarke Schmidt and two former All-Star lefties who are coming off an injury-plagued season, Nestor Cortes and Carlos Rodon.

There still are some good rotation free agent and trade options for the Yankees. The best remaining free agents are two lefties, NL Cy Young winner Blake Snell and Shota Imanaga, another posted Japanese star. Other intriguing options include two right-handed aces who are being shopped, the Brewers’ Corbin Burnes and the White Sox’s Dylan Cease.

After the Yamamoto signing news broke, we tracked down a veteran MLB scout to get an educated take on the Yankees’ probable backup plans for a rotation upgrade.

His reaction to Yamamoto choosing the Dodgers?

“I heard this guy wanted to play with another Japanese player,” the scout said. “Anybody in his right mind would want to join Ohtani. For the Yankees, this is a huge loss.

“Here’s the problem. They have to get somebody for their rotation. The Phillies want a starting pitcher. The Mets, Giants and Orioles want somebody. The Rangers want somebody, too. Now you’ve got a bunch of teams ready to pounce on who’s left with Yamamoto setting the market.”

Here are nine rotation options for the Yankees with takes on each from the MLB scout:

CORBIN BURNES, RHP

Club: Milwaukee Brewers.

Age: 29 (30 on Oct. 22, 2024).

Contract: Free agent after 2024 season. MLB Trade Rumors projects $15.1M salary for ‘24.

2023 stats: Brewers, 10-8, 3.39 ERA, 32 starts, 193.2 IP, 141 hits, 77 runs, 73 ER, 22 HR, 66 BB, 200 K.

The skinny: NL All-Star in 2021, 2022 and 2023. … Won NL Cy Young in ‘21. … Had an NL best 2.43 ERA in 2021 and league-high 243 strikeouts in 2022. … Has 1-1 record and 2.84 ERA over eight career postseason outings, two as a starter.

Scout’s take: “This is the best guy out there. He’s a No. 1. He’s got a nasty cutter that sits at 94-95, a good curve, a good slider. He’s the real deal. Can the Yankees get him? I don’t think so. That trade with San Diego killed the Yankees’ trade hopes. It’s going to be hard for them to get a frontline guy. They don’t have pitching to give up because they traded away all their depth. The team that might be the favorite to trade for Burnes is the Orioles. They’re the pride to the AL East now and they could get a lot better because they have a ton of prospects that they can trade even without giving up their best one, Jackson Holliday.”

* * *

DYLAN CEASE, RHP

Club: Chicago White Sox.

Age: 27 (28 on Dec. 28, 2023).

Contract: Free agent after 2025 season. MLB Trade Rumors projects $8.8M salary for 2024.

2023 stats: White Sox, 7-9, 4.58 ERA, 33 starts, 177 IP, 172 hits, 98 runs, 90 ER, 19 HR, 79 BB, 214 K.

The skinny: Finished second in 2022 AL Cy Young vote after going 14-8 with a 2.20 ERA in 32 starts with 227 K in 184 IP. … Allowed 2-or-fewer ER in 18 of 33 starts last season, but was shelled for 28 ER over a combined 15 innings in his worst four outings.

Scout’s take: “This guy is probably the best guy out there. He’s got power stuff with a good curveball, slider and changeup. When he’s down in the zone and missing bats like he was all through 2022, he’s one of the best. He just had a bad season last year. I’d bet on him being pretty damn good again next year. I don’t know if the Yankees have enough to trade for Cease. He’s got two years of control. He’s not going cheap. The White Sox aren’t taking low-level minor leaguers for Cease. They might take Oswald Peraza and Everson Pereira in a deal, but they want a young starting pitcher as the centerpiece, a frontline arm who is in the big leagues or in Triple-A. I don’t think the Yankees have anyone. Clayton Beeter? He’s a reliever for me. Chase Hampton is their No. 1 pitching prospect. I like him, but I doubt the Yankees trade him because they’ve moved so much pitching depth the last two years.”

* * *

MIKE CLEVINGER, RHP

Status: Free agent.

Age: 33 (34 on Dec. 21, 2024).

2023 stats: White Sox, 9-9, 3.77 ERA, 24 starts, 131.1 IP, 121 hits, 56 runs, 55 ER, 16 HR, 40 BB, 110 K.

Free agent rankings: MLB Trade Rumors, No. 30; USA Today, No. 17.

MLB Trade Rumor prediction: 2 years, $26M

The skinny: Missed 2021 season recovering from November 2020 Tommy John surgery. … Had a very good three-year run with Cleveland from 2017-19, going 38-18 with 2.96 ERA in 80 outings, 74 of them starts. … Traded by Cleveland to Padres on Aug. 31, 2020. … Signed one-year, $12M deal with White Sox on Dec. 4, 2022 that included a $12M mutual option or $4M buyout for 2024. … Opted for the buyout on Nov. 4.

Scout’s take: “At the end of last season, Clevinger was as good for the White Sox as he was in his Cleveland heyday. Granted he was playing for a contract, but he was impressive. The velo came back. He was throwing 96, 97, 98. He has four good pitches … fastball, slider, curveball and changeup. His delivery is deceptive. He’s just a different bird. Quirky guy. He has a different aura, but sometimes I like the different guys. I can see the Yankees making a run at this guy.”

* * *

LUCAS GIOLITO, RHP

Status: Free agent.

Age: 29 (30 on July 14, 2024).

2023 stats: White Sox, Angels & Guardians, 8-15, 4.88 ERA, 33 starts, 184.1 IP, 169 hits, 110 runs, 110 ER, 41 HR, 73 BB, 204 K.

Free agent rankings: MLB.com, No. 18; MLB Trade Rumors, No. 17; USA Today, No. 29.

MLB Trade Rumor prediction: 2 years, $44M.

The skinny: Began last season going 6-6 with a 3.79 ERA in 21 starts with White Sox, then was 1-9 with 6.96 ERA in 12 starts with Angels and Guardians. … Was an AL All-Star in 2019 when he was 14-9 with a 3.41 ERA in 29 starts with 228 K in 176.2 IP.

Scout’s take: “I don’t know if Giolito could deal with that New York crowd. Me personally, I think he’s soft. Plus, he wasn’t that good last season. I didn’t think he was too good in Chicago even though his stats there weren’t bad. Looking at Giolito, when his changeup isn’t working he’s toast because he can’t throw his fastball by anybody anymore. He was 90-to-92 last year.”

* * *

SHOTA IMANAGA, LHP

Status: Free agent.

Age: 30 (31 on Sept. 1, 2024).

2023 stats: Yokohama Bay Stars, 7-4, 2.80 ERA, 22 starts, 148 IP, 132 hits, 46 runs, 46 ER, 17 HR, 24 BB, 174 K.

Free agent rankings: MLB.com, No. 15; MLB Trade Rumors, No. 10.

MLB Trade Rumors prediction: 5 years, $85M

The skinny: Imanaga was posted by his Japanese Central League club on Nov. 28 and has a 45-day window to sign with an MLB club that expires on Jan. 11. … Fastball averages in low 90s and is thrown 60% of the time. Also throws a slider and changeup. … Started gold-medal game in 2023 World Baseball Classic, allowing one run over two innings in Japan’s 3-2 win over USA. … Has a 74-55 career record and 2.96 ERA over eight Japanese Central League seasons with Yokohama. … Was a teammate last season to 2020 NL Cy Young winner Trevor Bauer and two former Yankees position players, Tyler Austin and Trey Amburgey.

Scout’s take: “I wouldn’t say Imanaga would be a risky sign, but he’s more of an innings eater, a fourth or fifth starter, as opposed to one of those 1-2-3 guys who have pure stuff. His stats in Japan were impressive. One thing you have to be concerned about is pitching him every fifth day. He pitched once a week in Japan. There’s only been a handful of guys who have come over here and adapted to the five-day rotation and maintained their stuff.”

* * *

MICHAEL LORENZEN, RHP

Status: Free agent.

Age: 31 (32 on Jan. 4, 2024).

2023 stats: Tigers & Phillies, 9-9, 4.18 ERA, 29 games, 25 starts, 153 IP, 138 hits, 76 runs, 71 ER, 20 HR, 47 BB, 111 K.

Free agent rankings: MLB Trade Rumors, No. 34; USA Today, No. 33.

MLB Trade Rumor prediction: 2 years, $22M

The skinny: Traded by Tigers to Phillies on Aug. 1 and pitched a no-hitter in his Philadelphia home debut, a 7-0 win over the Nationals on Aug. 9. … Was 5-7 with a 3.58 ERA in 18 starts with Tigers, then 4-2 with a 5.51 ERA for Phillies in 11 outings, seven of them starts. … Worked 2.2 scoreless innings of relief over two postseason outings last October.

Scout’s take: “Lorenzen is someone the Yankees have to look at for the backend of their rotation. I’d have no problem with that. He can be a starter or reliever. He’s got a good arm. His stuff is good. I know he’s always wanted to start, but I think his stuff plays up better in the backend of the bullpen, the seventh and eighth innings. When I saw him last year, he was 93-to-96. He throws a slider, cutter and changeup. His issue sometimes is that he wants to work over the plate all the time. When he goes bad, he’s throwing straight fastballs over the plate and getting hit. But when he’s going well, he’s got good life to his fastball with some tail sink.”

* * *

JORDAN MONTGOMERY, LHP

Status: Free agent.

Age: 30 (31 on Dec. 27, 2023).

2023 stats: Cardinals & Rangers, 10-11, 3.20 ERA, 32 starts, 188.2 IP, 177 hits, 75 hits, 67 ER, 18 HR, 48 BB, 166 K.

Free agent rankings: MLB.com, No. 8; MLB Trade Rumors, No. 6; USA Today, No. 9.

MLB Trade Rumor prediction: 6 years, $150M

The skinny: Established new career highs for wins, innings and strikeouts in 2023 while posting a career-low ERA. … Key contributor to Rangers’ World Series championship run, going 3-1 with a 2.90 ERA in six postseason outings, five as a starter. … Traded by Yankees to Cardinals for CF Harrison Bader on Aug. 2, 2022, then dealt by St. Louis to Rangers on July 30, 2023 with RHP Chris Stratton for reliever John King and two minor leaguers. … Has allowed 2-or-fewer ER in 28 of 43 starts since leaving Yankees, 3 or fewer in 34 of 43.

Scout’s take: “You know what you’re getting with Montgomery You know he can pitch in New York. If I’m Montgomery, I’d listen to the Yankees but say ‘They’re really going to overpay me to come back after what happened two summers ago’ They said he wasn’t going to be in their playoff rotation right after trading him. If they talk to Montgomery about coming back, he should say, ‘Now you want me? Here’s my price. Meet it, or don’t call me, don’t call my agent and don’t even think about me.’ Montgomery should play hardball because the Yankees embarrassed themselves making that comment. Look at what he’s done since leaving the Yankees. Very impressive. He made himself a lot of money in the playoffs last October.”

* * *

BLAKE SNELL, LHP

Status: Free agent.

Age: 31 (32 on Dec. 4, 2024).

2023 stats: Padres, 14-9, 2.25 ERA, 32 starts, 180 IP, 115 hits, 47 runs, 45 ER, 15 HR, 99 BB, 234 K.

Free agent rankings: MLB.com, No. 3; MLB Trade Rumors, No. 4; USA Today, No. 3.

MLB Trade Rumor prediction: 7 years, $200M.

The skinny: Became 22nd pitcher to win at least two Cy Youngs in 2023. … Also won AL Cy in 2018 after going 21-5 with a 1.89 ERA in 31 starts with Rays. … Has a 3.20 ERA over eight seasons with Rays (2016-20) and Padres (2021-23). … Led NL in ERA and walks in 2023. … Worked seven innings three times, six innings 17 times, five innings nine times and fewer than five three times.

Scout’s take: “I don’t think too many teams like Snell. His stuff is beyond good. It’s great. But he’s not going to give you seven or eight innings like Gerrit Cole does. He’s never done it. This guy won the Cy Young and pitched only 180 innings. Also, I think a lot of owners are still holding it against him from the lockout when he came out and said, ‘You’re going to pay me my full salary regardless.’”

* * *

MARCUS STROMAN, RHP

Status: Free agent.

Age: 32 (33 on May 1, 2024).

2023 stats: Cubs, 10-9, 3.95 ERA, 27 games, 25 starts, 136.2 IP, 120 hits, 68 runs, 60 ER, 9 HR, 52 BB, 119 K.

Free agent rankings: MLB.com, No. 21; MLB Trade Rumors, No. 18; USA Today, No. 11.

The skinny: Opted out of the final two seasons of a 3-year, $71M contract. … Was 9-4 with a 2.28 ERA in first 16 starts through June 20, then 1-8 with an 8.29 ERA in his last 11 outings. … A hip injury last season had Stroman on the IL from Aug. 2 to Sept. 15. … All-Star with Blue Jays in 2019 and for Cubs last season. … Has a career 3.65 ERA over nine seasons with Blue Jays (2014-19), Mets (2019, 2021) and Cubs (2022-23).

Scout’s take: “I’ve heard the Yankees aren’t crazy about Stroman, but I like him even though he strikes me as having that Napoleon complex. He’s a little guy who wants to be a big guy. I’ll say this about him: He competes and I think he’d fit right in on the Yankees. That New York crowd wouldn’t get to him because he has that ‘screw you’ mentality. One concern here is his health. He hasn’t pitched more than 140 innings two years in a row. But when he’s out there, he can really pitch. He’s a mid-90s guy. In, out, up, down. He changes speeds. He pounds the strike zone.”

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Randy Miller may be reached at rmiller@njadvancemedia.com