Now That Trevor Bauer Is A Dodger, The Yankees Need To Go All-In

Trevor Bauer just signed a three-year, $103 million deal with the Dodgers, and that should bother Yankee fans. A Dodgers team that was better than everyone on paper and on the field last year continues to make additions. Meanwhile, Yankees' GM Brian Cashman and ownership claim they're interested in big names and then wound up signing has-beens.

If the Yankees want any chance at ending their 20-year World Series drought, then they need to go get Luis Castillo. And yes, the Reds said they were hardly taking calls this off-season, but the Yankees front office should make an offer they can't refuse.

(Even if it means sending Jasson Dominguez).

Dodgers

Let's use the Dodgers as an example for how the Yankees should operate. The team was clearly good enough to win this year's World Series as they just won last year. Even though they had plenty excuse to say no to offering Bauer the richest deal in baseball history--they did it anyway because they want to win.

Full death star mentality and that's what Yankee fans clamored for after George Steinbrenner passed away. An owner that isn't content with an "outside chance" to compete for titles. And just in case you don't believe the Yankees are in fact underdogs--check out these facts:

The Yankees have been to one World Series in 20 years. They've also watched superstars like Manny Machado, Bryce Harper, and Trevor Bauer come and go in free agency having done nothing more than grab a flyer.

Even the greatest reliever of all-time agrees the Yankees need pitching:

They need starting pitching

Last October, the Yankees came into a series-clinching game with the Tampa Bay Rays--and they ran out of pitching. Are you kidding me? The New York Yankees, who Forbes values at $5 billion, is stuck throwing a 21-year-old Deivi Garcia in a winner-take-all?

They had such little confidence in Garcia that they decided to pitch him for just one inning until they brought in veteran left-hander J.A. Happ who eventually got shelled a heart-breaking loss.

Completely unacceptable that the New York Yankees have a shortage of anything, let alone starting pitching. Quite literally the most important factor to winning championships.

Now follow my logic on Luis Castillo

If the Yankees are forced to move a player they project to be a superstar in the future, what's the harm in that if the deal means you land a current star now? Also, and almost more importantly, who have the Yankees developed that's been worth an All-Star game start? The answer is no one and the Yankees fan base shouldn't trust their judgement.

Now how do any of those prospects stack up with this?

Dominant 2019 season that Castillo encored with an even better 2020. Slot a 28-year-old Luis Castillo behind Gerrit Cole and now all of a sudden the Yankees are cooking with fish grease. Instead, Yankees' GM Brian Cashman seems content with hoping 34-year-old Corey Kluber makes a miraculous comeback.

The New York Yankees shouldn't come into any season "hoping" for better baseball. They should insist on constructing better rosters by being more aggressive in the trade market. Hoping for players to stay healthy or to become players they haven't been in years is unacceptable for a franchise this important.

Brian Cashman needs to make an offer to Cincinnati for Luis Castillo no matter the cost.