Yankees Rumors: Why Dallas Keuchel Won't Replace Luis Severino In Rotation After Latest Injury

There has been speculation for weeks that the New York Yankees might end up making a play for Dallas Keuchel, and the rumors certainly won't go away now that a new injury will keep Luis Severino on the shelf for another two months at a minimum. But don't expect the organization to sign the free agent pitcher in the near future.

No team was willing to meet Keuchel’s reported asking price of at least $25 million per season over at least six years in the offseason. The left-hander might be forced to take a short-term deal before re-entering free agency next year, but the Yankees and other MLB teams are wary of giving him one right now.

The issue isn't simply the kind of salary that Keuchel would demand. Because the Houston Astros offered the former AL Cy Young winner a qualifying offer in November, any team that signs Keuchel would be forced to send his former team a compensatory pick in the 2019 MLB draft.

“They (Yankees) can change their perspective any time based on the conversations they would have with Scott Boras, who represents Dallas Keuchel,” ESPN's Buster Olney said Wednesday on the “Baseball Tonight” podcast, “but everything I've been hearing is that the Yankees, like a lot of other teams, not interested in Dallas Keuchel on a short-term deal because of the draft pick compensation that they would have to give up.”

New York didn't show any interest in giving Keuchel a long-term contract this past winter. Giving up a valuable draft pick for only a few months of the left-hander isn't exactly an appealing option for the Yankees, despite the injuries that have hit their rotation.

Severino was already recovering from inflammation in his rotator cuff that was expected to keep him out for at least the first month of the season. Now, he's been diagnosed with a Grade 2 lat strain that will prevent him from throwing for at least six weeks. The right-hander could conceivably be out until the All-Star break, assuming he gets healthy and is finally ready to make his season debut at some point.

The Yankees have been counting on Severino to be their ace, despite his struggles in the second half of last year. He was the third-place finisher in the 2017 AL Cy Young race, and the Yankees signed him to a $40 million extension in spring training.

CC Sabathia has missed the start of the season with a five-game suspension and a stint on the injured list. He’s expected to make his first start of the year before the week is over.

Gio Gonzalez signed a minor-league contract with the Yankees in spring training. He can opt out of the deal if New York doesn't call him up to the big leagues by April 20. The veteran threw six scoreless innings in Triple-A Tuesday night, and he seems like the most logical option to replace Severino for the next few months.

Domingo German has had two strong starts while filling the hole left by Severino. Jonathan Loaisiga has made two starts in Sabathia’s absence, and his time in the rotation could be done.

The Yankees failed to sign Patrick Corbin in the offseason. The left-hander was their No.1 target, but New York refused to match the six-year, $140 million contract he got from the Washington Nationals.

New York traded for starter James Paxton in the offseason. He’s 1-1 with a 4.09 ERA in two starts this season.