It has been a rough couple of weeks for the New York Yankees, and the trade deadline can’t come soon enough.
July is finally here, and we’re officially inching closer towards the end of the first half of the season. Lately, it has been a rough patch so far for the New York Yankees. The team has struggled lately to find its groove. As a result of its rough patch, the team has found itself in a tough spot in its division. Just recently, they have lost their first-place spot to the rival Toronto Blue Jays who have been on a roll as of late.
Good news for the Yanks, the margin lead is not that big, and they can reclaim their top spot in the division. The team just needs to play better. Luckily, we’re just three weeks from the trade deadline, which is perfect for a team that desperately needs help. With that being said, let’s address the team’s needs ahead of the trade deadline for better improvement.
Boosting The Starting Rotation
If there’s one area that the Yankees need to address badly, it’s the starting rotation. The starting rotation is much thinner now. New York is down to two reliable starters, which includes SP Max Fried and SP Carlos Rodon. They also have SP Marcus Stroman as well, but he isn’t as reliable as you think he is. Just recently, the team has lost another important piece of their rotation. They lost SP Clarke Schmidt due to an injury which will keep him sidelined until 2027 at the very least. The team revealed that Schmidt has been diagnosed with a torn UCL which will require him to get Tommy John Surgery. Good news is that there are some reinforcements on the way. New York has called up their #10 prospect SP Cam Schlitter to take over Schmidt’s spot on the rotation. His major league debut is expected to come on Wednesday against the Seattle Mariners.
SP Luis Gil will also be back from his injury as well. It’s uncertain though which version of himself the team would be getting from him. Despite the reinforcements, it would still be a good idea for the team to test the trade market. There are some interesting names who could be available for the Yankees to acquire as a rental. Some names to watch include SPs Zac Gallen, Merrill Kelly, Sandy Alcantara, Freddy Peralta, and Mitch Keller. It would be interesting to see which direction the Yankees go in as the deadline inches closer.
Boosting The Bullpen
Coming up at number two for the most important needs ahead of the trade deadline is the bullpen. The bullpen as of late hasn’t been sharp at all. It has been the main reason why the team has been blowing leads. As of now, the Yankees bullpen holds a 4.07 ERA on the season. New York needs to search for a reliever that throws hard. As currently constructed, the team only has one pitcher that throws really hard, which is RP Jonathan Loaisiga. However, he hasn’t been sharp since coming back from his injury that kept him sidelined for the entire 2024 season.
With that being said, the Yankees need to target multiple arms that bring swing-and-a-miss stuff. Some interesting names to watch include RPs Felix Bautista, David Bednar, Kyle Finnegan, Mason Miller, Ryan Helsley and Jhoan Duran. The most ideal reliever I can see the Yankees targeting from this list is Duran. The Yankees and the Minnesota Twins have a history of being trade partners. So, if they come to the point where they make an exchange for Duran, it won’t be a surprise. New York’s most recent trade with Minnesota took place back in 2022. They acquired 3B Josh Donaldson and SS Isiah-Kiner Falefa from the Twins in exchange for C Gary Sanchez.
Fixing The Corner Infield
The last thing the Yankees need to address ahead of the trade deadline is their third base woes. Obviously, the 2B Jazz Chisholm experiment at third base has not panned out as many expected it to. As of right now, Chisholm has -3 outs above average at the third base position, which is a not good number. His numbers are much better when he plays at second base which is primary position. With the deadline looming, the Yankees do have options. Notable names that come to mind include 3B Ramon Urias, Luis Rengifo, Ryan McMahon, and Eugenio Suarez. Any of these names would work for the Yankees.
If they can nab any of these players listed, it would greatly benefit Jazz Chisholm. He would be able to go back to his primary position where he plays much better at. Chisholm is moving back to second base regardless, but the Yanks should then upgrade over 3B Oswald Peraza. It’s up to general manager Brian Cashman on how badly he wants to improve that infield position.
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