LAS VEGAS — Assuming their talks with J.A. Happ cross the goal line, the Yankees get a B for their starting rotation makeover.
Shoot, if they had re-signed Happ on Nov. 19 and traded for James Paxton this week here at the winter meetings, it might even feel like a B+.
Either way, the question now becomes, what can the Yankees do to compensate for not getting an A?
One columnist’s proposal: Bullpen, defense and — looking at it through a financial prism — contract extensions. Notice no mention of the words “Manny Machado” in that sentence.
Let this be a Yankees offseason in which the pragmatic trumps the pyrotechnic.
The Yankees’ turn toward Happ, and their willingness to include a carrot for a third year, should conclude a roller-coaster ride of starting rotation expectations during which they quickly re-upped with CC Sabathia (expected), acquired Paxton from the Mariners (unexpected), saw Patrick Corbin spurn them for a lot more money from the Nationals (unexpected), watched from afar as Nathan Eovaldi accepted a $68 million leap of faith from the Red Sox (expected non-reunion with the Yankees, unexpected financial commitment) and, most likely, brought back Happ (expected).
The end result optimally produces an Opening Day assignment for Luis Severino followed by Paxton, Masahiro Tanaka, Happ and Sabathia, with Chance Adams, Domingo German and Jonathan Loaisiga providing depth and Jordan Montgomery a possibility to return from Tommy John surgery in the second half.
While Brian Cashman said Wednesday he’d be open-minded to adding even another starter, he indicated that he would also pivot toward the club’s other needs of bullpen and infield. Meaning that Noah Syndergaard, Corey Kluber and Madison Bumgarner are all unlikely to become Yankees any time soon.
If this rotation lacks the pizzazz of the Astros’ frontline guys (Justin Verlander and Gerritt Cole) or the championship shine of the Red Sox’s elite arms (Chris Sale, David Price and Eovaldi), it nevertheless possesses the potential to produce a championship through both depth and dominance.
Considerably more depth throughout the roster will be necessary. With superagent Scott Boras insisting Wednesday the Yankees aren’t out on Bryce Harper despite strong evidence to the contrary, why not tell Boras they’ll instead re-sign his free-agent closer Zach Britton to something like a three-year, $45 million contract, then give three years and $30ish million to breakout star (and native New Yorker) Adam Ottavino? Hand second-year skipper Aaron Boone another stellar bullpen and provide plenty of cover for closer Aroldis Chapman, who spent time on the disabled list last year, as well as for the rotation.
Instead of Machado, who looks like an awful fit personality-wise, sign Freddy Galvis (whom the Yankees have engaged, as The Post’s Joel Sherman reported) to play shortstop every day until Gregorius returns. Let Gleyber Torres stay at second base and see if he matures with a year under his belt. Honor Miguel Andujar’s special bat, a nice weapon as the Yankees work to become less strikeout-heavy like the Red Sox and Astros, by not trading him and allowing him to improve defensively at third base.
As long as Gregorius comes back to the lineup midseason and looks like his old self, the Yankees should pay him a premium to keep him out of free agency a year from now. Walk-year guys Dellin Betances and Aaron Hicks also merit serious consideration for extensions given both their performance levels and how well they integrate into the clubhouse culture.
This currently doesn’t feel like one of those electrifying Yankees winters, yet is that necessarily a bad thing? Last year’s acquisition of Giancarlo Stanton got everyone talking … and delivered a worse postseason showing than 2017. For every offseason in which the Yankees’ big buys came through, like Sabathia, Mark Teixeira and A.J. Burnett in 2009, you can come up with a few when exhilaration turned into heartbreak. A Machado signing would provide a nice kick now, and then maybe a far more painful kick down the road.
A grade of B gets the first job done. Even a couple of more Bs might prove sufficient to get the Yankees, a pretty good team last year despite a disappointing finish, the October A they want so badly.
