The New York Yankees spring training has begun.

And that means talk of a 28th World Series title, plenty of Alex Rodriguez drama, and huge American League East games are soon to come.

The Yankees open their regular season on April 6 against the Toronto Blue Jays.

While hitting and offense is a concern, especially with the great Derek Jeter no longer on the roster, manager Joe Girardi has to be somewhat concerned about his team's pitching. General manager Brian Cashman didn't make the huge splash in free agency that many fans thought he would. The Yankees were unable to get their hands on Max Scherzer, James Shields or Jon Lester.

Still, the Yankees can still get wet in a very limited free agent pool.

The most obvious one of course being Rafael Soriano. Soriano is arguably one of the most underrated pitchers of the 21st century. That tends to happen when you play in the same league as Mariano Rivera, the greatest closer in Major League Baseball history. Having said that, Soriano could be a very valuable asset for the Pinstripes this upcoming season even at the age of 35.

Soriano pitched well the last two seasons for the Washington Nationals posting 75 saves and 110 strikeouts. Soriano doesn't disguise his pitches at an elite level, but his fastball could still be used in later innings. In 2012 Soriano had a great season pitching for the Bronx Bombers allowing just a 2.26 earned runs against average and recording 42 saves. Three times in his career Soriano has posted at least 40 saves in a season including a league-high 45 saves in 2010 for the Tampa Bay Rays.

The Dominican closer has also recorded at least 27 saves in five of his last six seasons. Obviously Soriano won't do what Rivera did for the Yankees, but he can help the team this upcoming season.

If the Yankees don't want sign Soriano, they can experiment a reunion with another Latin American-born pitcher.

Luis Ayala could be a wise low cost investment with no risk whatsoever. Ayala is a 37-year-old veteran pitcher who had a 2.90 earned runs against average last season. Although past his prime, Ayala very rarely gives up home runs, and he previously pitched for the Yankees in 2011. In 2011 Ayala record the lowest earned runs against average of his career, 2.09.

Last season the Yankees ranked 18th in team ERA, 19th in shutouts and 16th in opponent batting average. Bringing in Ayala on a one year contract couldn't hurt. The Yankees prize position on the mound, Masahiro Tanaka, has had issue with his elbow in the past, so it's critical to not over-pitch him this season. Ayala has never once pitched a complete game in his professional career, but he could be a valuable middle reliever.

With Soriano and Ayala both still on the open market, the Yankees do have some options. They won't be adding a dominant starting pitcher, unless some miraculous trade happens by mid-season. But, they could give ether of these pitchers a chance to show off their talents before the regular season begins.

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