The New York Yankees have traded Jesus Montero for Michael Pineda. This was a very good trade for both teams. The Yankees were looking for a pitcher who can bolster the front end of that rotation and the Mariners needed a big offensive player. Both teams gave up young talent and so it looks like a fair trade. But both guys being young means you will not know how they will be in 5 years. This move was a great one by the Yankees, they keep their top pitching prospects and got another legitimate chance at another ace in Pineda. They also signed Hiroki Kuroda to a one year deal, he was another guy Brian Cashman wanted. He had a terrific ERA for a bad team in the Dodgers.

The Yankees went from having major questions behind C.C Sabathia to having many options. They now have a one-two punch in Sabathia and Pineda who can put guys away with strikeouts and those are the kinds of pitchers who win the postseason. This also moves Ivan Nova to the #3 which is where he will be more comfortable and probably one of the best #3 option in the league. There #4 will be Hiroki Kuroda who finished with an ERA at about 3 which was very good for a team that did not give him much run support. The #5 is going to be the interesting battle between Freddy Garcia, AJ Burnett and Phil Hughes. Hughes looks like the favorite to win the final spot. This is a great situation for the Yankees to be in. They can tried to trade either Burnett or Hughes and get some value back in return. I feel that this year's pitching staff is filled with guys who can get guys out by the strikeout.

Last year Freddy Garcia, Bartolo Colon both did not throw very hard and so they relied on location more than speed and so they got guys out more by making quality pitches for quality outs. This year you added Pineda and Kuroda both who can get strikeouts and not have to worry as much as missing location. These two added with Sabathia and Nova they have legit four strikeout guys out there . The biggest thing that will help this guys is that offense which has been #1 or #2 the last 4 years and so they will get tons of run support.

This year's Yankees rotation is going to be really good and very young and looks like they are built for another championship run. The two biggest advantages they had was their bullpen and offense and now they don't have a weakness in pitching which will make them even better. They have put themselves in the conversation as one of the best rotations in the American League.