Yankees general manager Brian Cashman laid out his offseason priorities immediately after his club was eliminated by the rival Red Sox in the American League Division Series last October. Improving the starting rotation was at the top of the list.
Cashman quickly re-upped veteran left-hander CC Sabathia. He later sent the organization’s top prospect, Justus Sheffield, to Seattle in exchange for another southpaw, James Paxton. He followed by re-signing J.A. Happ, trading Sonny Gray, and inking former Cy Young Award finalist Gio Gonzalez to a minor-league deal.