Yankees, lacking starting pitching depth, one of the teams inquiring about Dylan Cease

PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. — The Yankees are among about 20 clubs that have checked in with the Padres regarding righthander Dylan Cease, which is no surprise.

Even before Luis Gil was sidelined for the season’s first three months — at a minimum — with a high-grade lat strain and ace Gerrit Cole was lost for the year because of Tommy John surgery, rotation depth was an organizational concern.

“What depth?” one rival scout assigned to the Yankees' organization and to the club in spring training replied recently when asked about it.

Indeed, there is not much.

The first four should be solid enough — Max Fried, Carlos Rodon (who will start Opening Day), Marcus Stroman and Clarke Schmidt — but beyond that, it’s a string of questions. Especially considering major league teams generally go into the season expecting to need between 10 and 12 pitchers to make starts (the Yankees were unusually healthy in that regard last season and still needed eight).

Prospect Will Warren, 25, has given every indication that he is ready to take the next step — and did again Saturday when he allowed three runs in four innings, striking out four. However, Warren, who posted a 10.32 ERA in six games (five starts) last season, remains  unproven.

Two pitchers the Yankees thought might provide depth for them this season — JT Brubaker and Chase Hampton — are injured. Brubaker, who hasn’t pitched in the majors since 2022, is recovering from three broken ribs and has no timeframe for resuming throwing. Hampton is out for the season after undergoing Tommy John surgery earlier in spring training. Even if he had not  needed the surgery, the highest level he’s pitched at since the Yankees took him in the sixth round of the 2022 draft is Double-A.

“We’ve taken a number of hits,” general manager Brian Cashman said this past week while discussing the Cole surgery news. “We can’t afford too many more.”

The uncertainty surrounding the organization’s lack of starting pitching depth is the reason Carlos Carrasco, who has thrown the ball very well in spring training, has a good chance of breaking camp on the 26-man roster and that Warren, who has options remaining, will start the year in the minors. Carrasco, who will turn 38 on Friday, has a major-league out in his contract, meaning if another team can guarantee him a spot on its 26-man roster, the Yankees will lose him.

The Yankees likely will try to find a way to get Allan Winans, a non-roster invitee with limited (but some is better than none) MLB starting experience on their 40-man roster.

Cease, 29, who is 57-46 with a 3.75 ERA, a 1.25 WHIP and 1,016 strikeouts in 847 1/3  innings in his six-year career, makes plenty of sense for the Yankees, but he won’t come cheap (even though he will be a free agent after the season, which lowers the asking price to a degree). Still, the Yankees are far from the only team in need of starting pitching and the Padres   have postseason aspirations and don’t have to trade Cease.

Before Saturday’s 7-7 tie against the Rays, Aaron Boone was asked the same question as the “what depth?” scout. His response  took on a different tone but nonetheless treaded in the waters of rigmarole.

“Obviously it’s taken a hit, with losing two significant guys at the start,” Boone said. “Hopefully with Luis, it’s a guy that we get back [midseason]. Depending on how things go and how healthy you stay, there may be guys here, or that aren’t here yet, that become a contributor at some point too. So I feel like we have seven, eight, nine guys that immediately could be in that role that are here. But we’ll see as it unfolds.”

Opening eyes

Before Saturday’s game, Boone spoke highly about a pair of non-roster invitees in camp who have pitched well in spring  training — righthander Geoff Hartlieb and righthander Colten Brewer — both of whom have put themselves in contention for one of the final bullpen spots.

“He’s been, as much as anyone, somebody that I think has had a great camp and jumped out to me,” Boone said of Hartlieb, 31, who allowed his first run in six appearances Saturday when he struggled with his command (three walks, two hits surrendered).

Brewer, 32, who has bounced around the big leagues since 2018 — including appearing in three major league games with the Yankees in 2023 — has not allowed an earned run in six appearances and  threw two scoreless innings Saturday.

“He’s done a good job, too, and certainly put himself in the mix,” Boone said. “He’s been really sharp.”