After a tough end to their postseason, losing to the Jays (3-1) in the American League Division Series, the Yankees need a starting pitcher. While several notable remaining free agents are linked, the Yankees are pushed to sign a veteran right-handed pitcher, who the Detroit Tigers are rooting for.

While discussing one last trade to all 30 MLB teams, Jim Riley named the 35-year-old Nick Martinez as the best fit for the Yankees, considering the injuries of Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodon.

“For the Yankees, I’m thinking about a bullpen guy who can swing into the rotation as needed,” Jim Riley said on the January 24 episode of Ballcap Sports. “They already have a couple of them, Ryan Yarbrough and Paul Blackburn. But I want to get as much of that as possible because I don’t want to get injured as a Yankee fan and derail my season. I don’t want [Gerrit] Cole to get snagged. I don’t want [Carlos] Rodon to have a snag. So, give me another bullpen guy that can swing into the rotation. And that, for me, is Nick Martinez.”

The eight-year veteran would deepen the Yankees’ pitching options and is capable of working in both the rotation and the bullpen. Until Carlos Rodon and Gerrit Cole return to the roster with full health, Martinez could support the team with important innings.

He is also the most prominent swingman in baseball, who posted a 4.45 ERA with 42 walks and 116 strikeouts across 165⅔ innings in 40 games (26 starts) for the Cincinnati Reds. The veteran also performed better in the bullpen, with a 4.72 ERA over 145 innings as a starter and a 2.61 ERA over 20⅔ innings as a reliever.

ESPN’s David Schoenfield also pitched the idea to go for Martinez when they were in active pursuit of Miami’s Edward Cabrera, who was traded to the Chicago Cubs. “The Yankees were in on Edward Cabrera before the Miami Marlins traded him to the Chicago Cubs, so that suggests they’re looking for another starter with Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodon both unavailable to start the season,” Schoenfield wrote.

The Yankees’ interest could add to the Tigers’ burden, as they’re already dealing with a tough bargaining situation with Tarik Skubal.

The Tigers’ price fight with Tarik Skubal

Tarik Skubal, Detroit’s star pitcher for the last six seasons, went into a negotiation war with the Tigers in the recent arbitration meetings. Skubal reportedly filed for a massive $32 million, while Detroit countered with $19 million.

That $13 million gap is being viewed as the largest in arbitration history, and it has sparked a serious dispute between both sides. The situation has quickly become one of the most closely watched cases of the offseason.

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“Portraying this battle as simply one between team and player would be an oversimplification,” wrote Ken Rosenthal. “MLB’s Labor Relations Department plays a role… The PA advises player agents on how to best represent their clients… In some ways, the Skubal case is but a preliminary to the main event.”

Skubal’s filing includes a major boost under special accomplishment rules and five-plus service time comparison provisions within the CBA. He also pointed to his 2025 performance, when he threw 195.1 innings with 241 strikeouts and a 2.21 ERA.

Skubal also posted a league-leading 0.89 WHIP, strengthening his argument for the higher salary figure. But the arbitration fight extends beyond Detroit and has drawn attention across the league.

With the CBA set to expire soon, the Skubal gap is now being seen as part of a bigger conflict over player compensation. It reflects rising tension between team payroll limits and the union’s push for stronger salary benchmarks.