The Yankees addressed the back end of their rotation yesterday by re-signing veteran right-hander Freddy Garcia to a one-year deal for a total north of $4 million. The contract is pending a physical.
Bringing back the 35-year-old, however, doesn’t improve the front end of the rotation headed by ace CC Sabathia. There still is a considerable drop off after Sabathia.
With the price tag on free agents C.J. Wilson, Edwin Jackson and Mark Buehrle still high and the trade market not taking shape yet, the Yankees offered Garcia salary arbitration Wednesday night. It took him less than 24 hours to accept.
Garcia made $1.5 million last season, his first as a Yankee, when he went 12-8 with a 3.62 ERA in 26 games (25 starts) and made a start against the Tigers in the ALDS. He is 145-95 with a 4.09 career ERA in 13 major league seasons.
Bringing Sabathia and Garcia back doesn’t mean the Yankees are done trying to upgrade a rotation that also houses A.J. Burnett, Phil Hughes and Ivan Nova and could add Manuel Banuelos or Dellin Betances from the minor leagues.
The White Sox have made it known that lefty John Danks is available and they are interested in Betances, but not as the centerpiece to a deal for Danks, who can become a free agent following the 2012 season.
Danks, 26, made $6 million last season when he went 8-12 with a 4.33 ERA in 27 games. He is 54-56 with a 4.03 ERA in 150 career games (all starts) over five seasons.