From the moment New York’s season ended at the hands of the rival Red Sox in early October, Yankees fans anxiously awaited the start of the hot stove. Improvements were obviously needed, and there was no reason to believe that the required moves wouldn’t be made. It was simply a matter of waiting for Boston’s inexorable march to the championship to conclude, so that the dealing could commence.
Considering the state of the rotation, most assumed that the front office would sign the consensus top free-agent starter, Patrick Corbin. With a pair of generational hitters also hitting free agency, many fans further assumed that the club would pursue both Bryce Harper and Manny Machado — and hopefully sign at least one.