The New York Yankees will likely look to expand their starting lineup this winter.

New York’s rotation has some great players and was one of the best rotations in baseball for the first few months of the season. Then it got back down to earth and injuries started to crop up, negatively impacting the rotation.

The Yankees tried to sign another starter before the trade deadline but failed, despite being willing to trade highly-rated top prospect Spencer Jones. New York will have to start from scratch this winter, and one player who should be at the top of the wish list is Los Angeles Dodgers star Walker Buehler.

He has shown he can be one of the best pitchers in baseball when healthy. He missed the 2023 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery and has struggled to return to the mound this season. Still, he will be another year removed from his surgery in 2025 and will likely sign a one-year deal as a free agent this winter, according to Bleacher Report’s Joel Reuter.

“When healthy, Walker Buehler is a top starter for the Dodgers. He finished in the top 10 in NL Cy Young voting in 2019 and 2021 and was also a star in the team’s 2020 World Series title run,” Reuter said. “However, he does not enter free agency under the best of conditions.

“The 30-year-old missed the entire 2023 season recovering from his second Tommy John surgery, and his comeback this year has been tough on him. He struggled to a 6.09 ERA and 1.59 WHIP while delivering a .299/.360/.551 line to opposing hitters. He’ll hit the open market as an interesting candidate for a cheap buyout, likely seeking a one-year deal to rebuild his value, and the Dodgers could well be the team to give him that chance.”

He’s only 30 years old and has to settle for a short-term contract worth significantly less than he’s worth this winter. That should be music to the ears of the Yankees’ front office.

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