NEW YORK _ Another day, another potential Yankees' rotation piece off the board.
Tuesday it was Patrick Corbin, a Yankees fan growing up in upstate New York who agreed to a six-year, $140-million deal with the Nationals.
Thursday came the news there would be no reunion with Nathan Eovaldi, the Red Sox postseason hero who agreed to a reported four-year, $67.5 million deal with Boston.
The Yankees never got to the point of making an offer to either pitcher, according to a source.
Still, the Bombers did at least have a passing interest in Eovaldi, who pitched for them from 2015-16.
The right-hander went 23-11 with the Yankees, but had a 4.45 ERA, allowing 298 hits in 279 innings. His 2016 season ended when he had to undergo Tommy John surgery _ Eovaldi was 9-8 with a 4.76 ERA at the time _ and he was designated for assignment that November. Eovaldi didn't return until May 30 of this past season with the Rays, who traded him to the Red Sox at the non-waiver deadline in July.
The 28-year-old went 3-3 with a 3.33 ERA in 12 games (11 starts) with the Red Sox, but really turned it on in the postseason, starring in the rotation and out of the bullpen. In six games (two starts) for Boston, which won the World Series over the Dodgers in five games to cap a season in which it won a combined 119 games, Eovaldi was 2-1 with a 1.61 ERA.
"He was great to work with, always willing to make adjustments and try different things," longtime Yankees pitching coach Larry Rothschild said in a phone interview during the World Series. "He had great arm strength, obviously, but just the type of person he is I think sticks out. Most people that are around him would say the same thing. He's always positive. I don't know if he ever has a bad day. A lot of fun to be around and was a really good teammate for everybody."
Yankees GM Brian Cashman, who brought back CC Sabathia earlier this winter and traded for James Paxton from the Mariners but who very much desires to add one more starter, still has plenty of options.
Cashman has been engaged with the agent of left-hander J.A. Happ, a trade deadline acquisition from Toronto who pitched well for the Yankees, since the GM Meetings in early November. Free agents such as Dallas Keuchel, Charlie Morton, Lance Lynn or Wade Miley, just to name some of those available on the market, are all possibilities.
The Indians have told teams they're listening on their deep pool of starters _ an impressive group headlined by Corey Kluber, Carlos Carrasco and Trevor Bauer. Cashman has been in touch with Cleveland since the GM Meetings, though as of now the price tags are steep. The Athletic reported on Thursday that the Indians exercised Carrasco's $10.25-million option for 2020 and signed him to two-year extension.
