Brandon Woodruff Free Agency: Yankees eye former Brewers pitcher to add experience arm to rotation, per Insider

With the New York Yankees missing out on Yoshinobu Yamamoto, they have turned their attention elsewhere, and free agent Brandon Woodruff could be their next target. The Yankees need pitching help for their rotation in 2024 and beyond and Woodruff, a two-time All-Star, could fit the bill for 2025.

Woodruff is recovering from shoulder surgery and might not be able to play in 2024, which makes matters a little more complicated for everyone involved. While the other free agency dominoes have started to fall due to his injury, Woodruff has not been the target of too many rumors.

However, ESPN's Kiley McDaniel certainly believes New York is interested in the pitcher due to a myriad of factors.

In an article, he went into detail about the Yankees' needs, noting that Blake Snell is too risky, Jordan Montgomery might be pricey and not the best fit and the remaining free agents are more mid-rotation players.

Milwaukee Brewers v Miami Marlins

This, McDaniel believes, will result in the Yankees pursuing pitching help via trade rather than free agency, and they will look to land Brandon Woodruff on a two-year deal. While the former Milwaukee Brewers pitcher might not be able to play in 2024, he could certainly help push the Yankees in 2025.

The Yankees are not the only team rumored to be interested in Brandon Woodruff

While signing a player with a long-term injury is a risky business, Brandon Woodruff is expected to return in 2025, but his level of performance is uncertain. After serious shoulder surgery, there are some concerns about his velocity, but he could be worth a risk for a team looking to compete in 2025.

That's where the New York Mets come in. The consensus is that they are looking to push for 2025 rather than next season, and adding Woodruff to their rotation would be perfect.

Michael Marino of "The Inside Scoop" recently took to X to discuss the Mets' rumored interest:

"Mets unsuccessfully tried the strategy of signing a player out for the following year to play 2 years out when they signed John Curtiss in 2022. Could Stearns get one of his former players and go down that well again in a much bigger way with a Brandon Woodruff signing?"

The former Brewer would likely sign a two- or three-year deal for slightly north of $30 million, which makes him a relatively low-risk, high-reward option.

As to which New York team will take a chance on him or if another franchise swoops in, it is uncertain at this time.