Dallas Keuchel To The Yankees Is More Unlikely Than Ever As New York’s Pitchers Thrive Amid Injuries

The New York Yankees and Dallas Keuchel seemed like a perfect fit just a few weeks ago. The Yankees’ rotation was ailing with ace Luis Severino being shut down for several weeks, and the starting pitcher was still a free agent.

Keuchel continues to look for a job as April comes to an end, but New York’s need for another starter is no longer what it once appeared to be.

The Yankees have thrived amid their rash of injuries. They've got the best record in baseball over the last 13 games with an 11-2 record and it has come on the strength of their starting pitching.

Through 28 games, the Yankees' starters rank third in the American League with a 3.51 ERA. New York's rotation has been led by Severino's replacement, Domingo German, who has given the Yankees everything they could have expected from the injured right-hander if he was healthy.

In five starts and six appearances, German leads all New York pitchers with a 0.8 WAR. The 26-year-old is 5-1 with a 2.56 ERA and a 0.85 WHIP. He’s struck out a little more than a batter an inning and opponents are hitting a meager .157 against him.

The return of C.C. Sabathia has made a huge difference. After starting the season on the injured list, the veteran left-hander has given up just four earned runs in 15 Innings over three starts.

Despite a couple of poor starts, James Paxton and Masahiro Tanaka have been solid with ERAs of 3.38 and 3.60, respectively. Paxton has struck out 13.2 batters per nine innings. Tanaka has given up exactly one earned run in four of his six starts.

J.A. Happ’s 4.68 ERA is the highest among Yankee starters. He's looked much more like his old self of late with three consecutive quality starts that have all resulted in victories.

Considering the injury luck New York has had in 2019, adding Keuchel to the rotation obviously couldn't hurt. But the price the Yankees would have to pay probably wouldn't make signing the former Cy Young winner worth it.

It isn't simply about the salary that Keuchel is seeking. The left-hander is reportedly willing to take a one-year contract before hitting the market again after the playoffs.

The Yankees can afford the $15 million or so it would cost to pay Keuchel. Because the Houston Astros made him a $17.9 million qualifying offer in November, signing Keuchel before June's draft would cost New York a compensatory pick. That's not something the Yankees are willing to give up, and it's hard to blame the organization for thinking that way after the rotation has kept them afloat through the first month of the season.

Keuchel’s extended free agency could be a sign that no team will sign him until after the draft. Maybe the Yankees should revisit acquiring the two-time All-Star later this summer.

For now, any chance that Keuchel will join the Yankees within the next few weeks appears to be a long shot, at best.