Yankees Biggest Offseason Mistake Was Far Worse Than Missing Out on Manny Machado and Bryce Harper

It's hard to say that the New York Yankees had a rough offseason when they are currently in first place in the AL East on the back of offseason pickups like DJ LeMahieu and Adam Ottavino, but the Yankees could have an even better winter if they didn't miss out on a few stars that signed some big contracts.

No, I'm not talking about Manny Machado or Bryce Harper. After the Yankees whiffed on both of these starting pitchers, Washington Nationals pitcher Patrick Corbin is currently 7-5 with a 3.55 ERA in DC, while Rays starter Charlie Morton is an All-Star with a 9-2 record and a 2.36 ERA in Tampa Bay.

As great as Harper and Machado would have been, the Yankees' lineup is no issue, as they are so spoiled with options that Clint Frazier isn't even in the major leagues right now, even with all of their injuries.

The pitching staff, on the other hand, is a different story. Luis Severino and Dellin Betances haven't thrown a pitch, James Paxton has been inconsistent, and JA Happ has been mediocre.

Corbin or Morton would have fixed their two biggest issues, with the former giving them a controllable asset long term that wouldn't force them to give up prospects for a starter at the deadline.

Rather than a 35-year-old All-Star in Morton or a 29-year-old stud in Corbin, the Yankees opted for JA Happ. A rare miss for Brian Cashman.