The New York Yankees face a shortage in their starting rotation and have targeted two left-handed pitchers from the Nationals and Brewers for reinforcement.

Despite offseason additions to their starting staff, the Yankees are currently seeking further reinforcements via trades due to multiple key players missing parts of the 2026 season; their focus is now on two left-handed pitchers from the Nationals and Brewers.

Previously, the Yankees aimed to acquire 27-year-old right-hander Edward Cabrera from the Miami Marlins, but the Chicago Cubs outbid them by offering their top farm outfielder Owen Caissie, their 11th-ranked infielder Cristian Hernandez, and 18-year-old infielder Edgardo De Leon.

Considering the high cost to trade for Detroit Tigers’ lefty Cy Young candidate Tarik Skubal, the Yankees have shifted attention to Nationals’ 26-year-old lefty MacKenzie Gore and Brewers’ 29-year-old right-hander Freddy Peralta.

Gore, who just completed four years in the majors, recently agreed to a $5.6 million contract with the Nationals to avoid his second salary arbitration, while the Brewers exercised Peralta’s $8 million team option for 2026 last offseason, bringing his seven-year deal total to $30 million.

Since both Gore and Peralta have relatively modest salaries, the Yankees could potentially acquire one with a lower cost. More importantly, this move would free up payroll space to pursue Cody Bellinger’s return while keeping the team’s total payroll under $300 million.

The Yankees value Gore and Peralta’s health over the past two seasons, as both have made at least 30 starts each year. Adding either pitcher would significantly ease the current strain on the starting rotation.

Although the roster includes Gerrit Cole, Max Fried, Carlos Rodon, Cam Schlittler, Will Warren, Luis Gil, Clarke Schmidt, and offseason additions Ryan Yarbrough and Paul Blackburn, the situation is challenging: Cole will miss all of 2025 due to Tommy John surgery and will still be sidelined for part of 2026; Schmidt underwent the same surgery in July 2025 and won’t return until the latter half of the season; Rodon had bone spur removal last offseason and is unlikely to be back before April.

This leaves Fried, Schlittler, Warren, and the injury-plagued Gil as the only starters available at the beginning of the season. Yarbrough and Blackburn mainly serve as back-end starters, openers, or long relievers. Therefore, the team urgently needs to add another starter to share the innings workload.

The Yankees’ farm system also includes promising prospects like second-ranked Carlos Lagrange, third-ranked Elmer Rodríguez, eighth-ranked Chase Hampton, and tenth-ranked Brock Selvidge, who might reach the majors in 2026 but are expected to have limited opportunities early in the season.