MLB Trade Rumors: Will Surgery Force Yankees to Look for A-Rod’s Replacement?

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Things are about to get interesting in New York.

The Yankees are cruising heading into the All-Star break. Everything seems peachy on the surface after a magical Saturday in which captain Derek Jeter went 5-for-5 with a homer for his career hit No. 3,000. It was truly one of the most special days in Yankees history.

Today, C.C. Sabathia kept the momentum rolling as he pitched a complete game shutout gem against division rivals Tampa Bay.

The left side of the infield was voted to the All-Star game, but neither man will participate in the festivities. The Yankees may be forced to trade for a third baseman at the deadline because superstar and 2009 postseason hero Alex Rodriguez will likely miss a month of action due to a meniscus tear in his knee.

“Alex Rodriguez is strongly leaning toward undergoing surgery to repair a slightly torn meniscus in his right knee, The Post has learned.

Rodriguez went for an MRI exam on Thursday and after the Yankees consulted with their doctors, the team has recommended that he have the operation, which would be expected to sideline him for a month and perhaps longer. Rodriguez is heading to Miami today to receive a second opinion from Dr. Lee Kaplan, who performed surgery on Jorge Posada's torn meniscus in his left knee last November.

Rodriguez's other option would be to play through the torn meniscus, then get it repaired in the offseason. He has been playing through the tear for several weeks -- he hurt it when the Yankees were at Wrigley Field the weekend of June 17-19 -- but he has been a power-less hitter during that span. Rodriguez is in the midst of a single-season-career-worst 85-at-bat homer-less drought and hasn't homered since June 11,” according to New York Post’s Mark Hale and Joel Sherman.

The organization is at quite the cross roads heading into the All-Star break. Do they let A-Rod risk further injury and playing below his potential? At least they would have their superstar, but it could do the team more harm than good later in the season.

Eduardo Nunez has been fantastic filling in as of late, but the Yankees need a veteran insurance policy. Even if A-Rod misses a month, he would have more than enough time to get back into his rhythm, which often takes him a bit of time. By then, the postseason will roll around and A-Rod will be hot again.

One man who seems to have run his course in his current home is Milwaukee’s Casey McGehee.

The 28-year-old is batting just .225 with 5 HR and 36 RBI this season. The Brewers are entertaining ideas for him and is the quality defender and power hitter the Yanks would enjoy.

In his previous two seasons in Milwaukee, he blasted 39 homers and drove in 170 runs.

If the Brewers would move him, the Yanks need to scoop him up. Nunez could stay as a spot start, but McGehee is the power boost the Yankees would need with A-Rod on the mend.

-Brandon Galvin is a Bleacher Report Featured Columnist and Syndicated Writer. Follow Him on Twitter.

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