The annual MLB Trade Deadline is fast approaching, and for a Yankees team currently sitting in a Wild Card position, but seeking the division, there are both questions and opportunities.
There are three major players on the Yankees currently injured but hoping to return: Aaron Judge, Max Fried, and Carlos Rodon, with another pitcher, Clarke Schmidt, also working his way back. Out of those four, Aaron Judge probably has the most questions due to the nature and location of his injury, and while there have been reports that the Yankees’ deadline aggression levels would be dependent on Judge’s health, the truth of the matter is they need to be aggressive no matter what.
So what do they need? A catcher, for starters – a right-handed one in particular – as well as multiple bullpen arms, potentially a starter and more contact bats. Top prospect Carlos Legrange, he of the 103 MPH fastball, was being transitioned into the bullpen with the hope that he would help this season, but that was before he suffered a shoulder injury; the Yankees have other reliever options like the hard throwing Yovanny Cruz (another 100 MPH man), but despite two scoreless and dominant appearences in the majors this season, the team amazingly doesn’t seem to have much faith or interest in keeping him with the big league club.
There are other intriguing reliever prospects as well, but no one knows if or when they will be given a chance; one would assume that, when healthy, Schmidt will end up in the bullpen, along with a starter like Ryan Weathers, but the Yankees should still seek outside help. So with that in mind, here is what I would like to see from the Yankees this deadline.
BULLPEN
This may be the most obvious of desires, and it’s hard to believe that he’d even be attainable, but should Mason Miller be made available, the Yankees need to be all over him. There is a whole lot of talk about the Padres maybe doing a Juan Soto-type trade for MLB-ready pitching – which the Yankees have – or perhaps attaching Miller to a deal that relieves them of a bad contract from another player; and depending on that player, the Yankees could theoretically do that too. Could the Yankees solve two roles with one trade of say Miller and Wandy Peralta? Either way, so long as it doesn’t cost top prospects George Lombard Jr. and Legrange, the Yankees need to do it.
Another option includes a potential reunion with old Yankee favorite Luke Weaver, who is one of the lone bright spots on the Mets this year, which I wouldn’t be opposed to; if I’m being honest, I’d rather not have to rely on potential Matt Blake redemption projects for the rest of this year.
CATCHER
Currently, left-handed hitting Austin Wells is putting up one of the worst offensive seasons anyone has ever seen, and so there is a real need behind the plate for the Bronx Bombers. There are really three major options here that may be available: Ryan Jeffers, Hunter Goodman, and Shea Langeliers.
The cheapest option would be Jeffers, as he is a rental, and he would fit the Yankees in multiple ways, given he is a right-handed hitter, hits for contact, and has a relationship with the Yankees’ catching coordinator, Tanner Swanson. On the flip side, Hunter Goodman is one of the best young catchers around; he leads MLB backstops in HR and is only 26 years old (Jeffers is 29). My biggest hangup with Goodman, however, is that he strikes out a lot. This Yankees team already strikes out a ton, and even though he is otherwise contributing, Goodman being another strikeout bat is unappealing when compared to one who can hit for contact and not strike out as much.
Langeliers would have also interesting because his offensive numbers look similar to Goodman’s, but his strikeouts are much better, and the A’s are spiraling, but he is now officially out for the season with a torn MCL.
STARTING PITCHING
Here’s the thing about the Yankees’ starting pitching: they don’t technically “need” more. All things being equal, they have the depth, even with injuries, because one would assume their three injured starters would be back by October. But you know what they say about assuming…so let’s not. There are two main names that I can potentially see being dealt depending on where their team stands at the beginning of August, and those names are Tarik Skubal and Joe Ryan.
To me, Skubal is a must if the Tigers put him up for auction; it’s not just about having him on your team and making a super rotation of Tarik Skubal, Cam Schlittler, Gerrit Cole and Max Fried, it’s also about making sure none of the teams you face in the playoffs, be they in the AL or in the World Series, have him to use against you.
I’ve written previously about what a potential Skubal deal could look like prospect-wise, and maybe he becomes more affordable if the Yankees are willing to part with a solid young arm like Will Warren. Again, as long as it doesn’t cost Lombard and Legrange, the Yankees need to make it happen if the Tigers announce he can be had.
Joe Ryan, I think, is probably less likely, but an interesting trade would be acquiring Jeffers and Ryan in one deal, which is something the Yankees should at least consider attempting.
ANOTHER BAT
I love Jazz Chisholm Jr., I really do, but I question how reliable he is in October on any given year, let alone one where he is struggling offensively like he is right now. He has already said he doesn’t do well in the cold, and – in case you were unaware – October just so happens to be very cold. So when it comes to Jazz Chisholm, I am fine with two different scenarios.
First, if they want to acquire Giants’ rental Luis Arraez and move Jazz to third (where he played before), only to have him replaced later in games by Ryan McMahon and his gold glove, I would be happy. This way you keep Jazz’s offensive capabilities, which include power and speed – while also bringing in a true leadoff hitter in Arraez, who is one of the best contact hitters in the league, and provides a much-needed different look for the Yankees’ offense. While despicably and irrationally out of fashion by modern know-it-alls (who are more know-nothings than anything), batting average still matters, and having Arraez bat in the .320s-.330s in front of Aaron Judge, or even at the bottom of the lineup should they decide to stick with Trent Grisham on top, lengthens the lineup in a major way.
On top of that, while Arraez was once known as an abysmal fielder, he has totally turned that around this year and has been pretty great in the field, so there are a variety of benefits to trading for him.
If the Yankees don’t want Jazz to move to third, or if he doesn’t want to, then I would be more than fine with trading him if, and only if, it means bringing in Arraez. Jazz is in his walk year anyway, so one wonders if a 1-for-1 swap of the two second basemen could work, or maybe Jazz and a lower prospect for Arraez. I would honestly do so in a heartbeat if they don’t want to have Jazz move to the hot corner.
INTERNAL OPTIONS
The main internal option here would be to call up George Lombard Jr. if he continues to show he can hit in AAA; Yankees GM Brian Cashman has already mentioned this to be a possibility, and I think at worst it might be worth it to give him at least a cup of coffee. Lombard is known to be a stellar defender, and putting him at shortstop right now would be an immediate defensive upgrade over both Jose Caballero and Anthony Volpe, neither of whom (despite Yankee fan bleeting about Volpe’s defense) has been horrible at the position; and if he can be an above-average-to-good hitter at the big league level this year? Sign me up.
There aren’t many other offensive upgrades in the minors outside of Spencer Jones, whom I believe in, but the Yankees might not. Jones’ future could be as the starting center fielder next year, or as a trade piece, and only time will tell on that front. I’ve mentioned that the Yankees have interesting bullpen options on the farm as well, but do they want to trust them over established arms? That remains to be seen, but as of now, it doesn’t look like it.
CONCLUSION
If the Yankees can put together a deadline combination of some of the various names I’ve mentioned here, I will be a very happy Yankees fan, and the thing is, it is doable. Despite many opposing fans consistently crapping on the Yankee farm system, each deadline proves that other GMs value various aspects of the Yankee farm. There are more than enough names who are showing both talent and success in the minors this year who should be made available by the Yankees, and if they are willing to offer a player like Will Warren, and yes, even Anthony Volpe, the Yankees could have a very successful deadline.
