As the Major League Baseball hot stove slowly begins to burn, all eyes will be on the New York Yankees.

If the team stays away from big-ticket items, general manager Brian Cashman will miss out on the chance to add Max Scherzer's difference-making arm to the starting rotation. As the former Tigers righty hits the market, the biggest free-agent pitching contract in history will welcome him.

Scherzer, 30, is an ace far from the downside of his career. In fact, as Yankees reporter Brendan Kuty explained in his appearance on today's N.J. Sports Now, it's instructive to look at Scherzer's career innings mark in comparison to Jon Lester and James Shields—the next best available starters.

For me, Scherzer is worth the money and can join a healthy Masahiro Tanaka atop the rotation to form the best 1-2 punch in baseball. With statistics eerily similar to Randy Johnson through the same juncture of their respective careers, his best may still be to come.

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If you could add any free agent to the Yankees this offseason, who would it be? Do you think general manager Brian Cashman should pursue Scherzer?

Watch the video above and leave your thoughts below in the comments section.

Joe Giglio may be reached at jgiglio@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JoeGiglioSports. Find NJ.com on Facebook.