 There are two names out there in the free agent market that fans are salivating over Garrett Cole Steven Strasberg How actively and how aggressively will you pursue those guys? I'm not gonna talk about anybody in particular But let me just say that all options are open as far as I'm concerned anything that rolls around across my desk I'm gonna be looking at real seriously. You look at where you guys are at With salary right now at about two hundred and twelve million dollars that already puts you over the first luxury tax threshold The second one sits at two twenty-eight. There's a third one past that if it meant getting a top-of-the-line starting picture Would you go over that third tax threshold? It's a big deal It's something we would certainly prefer not to do because they're draft there, you know, they're June draft ramifications There's a there's numerous ramifications But that is something I would consider All right So part two of that conversation coming up on Thursday's Yankees hot stove guys in the meantime He says all options are open and you know their Yankees fans out there saying well Look what the nationals did last year look what the Astros did it was about starting pitching Do you think based on that that's changed the philosophy of the Yankees at all or they more about starting pitching? But that monster bullpen well baseball is a copycat sport, right Bob So you look at what the nationals and the Astros were able to do in getting to the world series They had those strong rotations and then you listen to what house Steinbrenner said right there He said you can never have enough starting pitching So I think the Yankees are always going to have an eye on their rotation and try and make it as powerful as Possible, but they're not going to ignore their bullpen. Their bullpen was one of their biggest strengths last season I don't think that has changed if that's what you're asking me But I also know that they're absolutely trying to improve that rotation That's something that cashmen has been talking about since the middle of last season Yeah, a few things jumped out to me from that interview with Hal Blaming it on the hitters and you're saying we're a couple of hits away Is the hitting philosophy going to change next year is Situational hitting going to be more of an emphasis trying to put the ball and play a little bit more because we saw During the postseason that maybe some of those swings and misses came back to bite the Yankees But I'm a big believer that you got to go out and get a big-time starter I think the postseason has shown us with the nationals and what the Astros did I think the Yankee philosophy is always going to be bullpen first But you can argue during the postseason some of those relievers were overexposed I think you can protect them a little bit more during the regular season and the postseason some of those guys Maybe a little fatigue may be a little tired and he gave Meredith a short answer at the end But when he was asked about specific players, he said all options are open Remember if you flash back to last year with Harper and Machado There was always a little bit of a chill between the Yankees and those two free agents to hear Hal Steinburner saying all options are open That has to be something that Yankee fans are excited to hear because I am with you John I absolutely believe that the Yankees need to inject a top end of the rotation guy ahead of the Severino or Tanaka or a Paxton I'm really disappointed you haven't used the word disciplined yet. Yankees are disciplined, right? That's what you talk about when it comes to free agency There's going to be a number that they have in mind if it doesn't work out they move on