The Yankees are eyeing Cincinnati’s Hunter Greene as they look to build what could become baseball’s best rotation, according to The Athletic’s Brendan Kuty.
League sources tell Kuty the Yankees have interest in the flame-throwing right-hander. It’s not hard to see why.
Greene posted a 2.76 ERA with 132 strikeouts in 107.2 innings last season. He routinely hits triple digits with his fastball and finished eighth in NL Cy Young voting in 2024. When you add that kind of talent to a rotation that already features Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodon, you’re talking about something special.
What would it take to land Greene? Drew Koch of the Blog Red Machine floated an intriguing package that sends Greene and righty Lyon Richardson to the Yankees for Jasson Dominguez, Will Warren, and prospects Carlos Lagrange and Dax Kilby.
“Both Dominguez and Warren are on the Major League roster, but the Reds will still need the Yankees to sweeten the pot even more,” Koch wrote.
That’s where Lagrange comes in. The 6-foot-7 righty has an electric fastball that sits in the upper 90s, paired with an above-average slider. He reached Double-A last season and could be in the big leagues by 2027.
The toughest piece for New York to part with might be Kilby. The 19-year-old shortstop is a left-handed hitter with a slick glove who projects as potential 20-20 talent at the major league level.
But here’s the thing – Kilby’s still a few years away from contributing, and the Yankees need to maximize their window while Aaron Judge is in his prime.
Greene brings more than just the radar gun readings. Last season, he struck out hitters at a 31.4 percent clip while keeping his walk rate at just 6.2 percent. That’s the kind of command that makes front-line starters.
The contract situation works in the Yankees’ favor too. Greene has three years remaining on his deal, with a $21 million club option for 2029. For a pitcher of his caliber entering his prime, that’s manageable money.
Whether Cincinnati would actually move their ace remains to be seen. But if the Yankees are serious about putting together a championship rotation, Greene’s the kind of impact arm that could make it happen.
