New York Yankees: 5 Fresh Trade Ideas to Stop the Slump
The New York Yankees escaped regression's cruel grip for over two months. Now that the laws of probability are making up for lost time, they're fading fast.
Aaron Judge remains MLB's stronger version of The Incredible Hulk, but his teammates are struggling to sustain a start perfect beyond most pundits' expectations. By losing 11 of their last 15 games, they squandered their American League East lead to the Boston Red Sox, who are now tied for first place.
New York will attempt to stop the bleeding with a youth influx. The club recently promoted Tyler Austin, Tyler Wade and Miguel Andujar to replace ineffective (Chris Carter) and injured (Starlin Castro and Matt Holliday) veterans. Yet, if the Yankees want to return to the postseason, they need to scour the trade market for a corner infielder.
CC Sabathia's hamstring injury and Michael Pineda's return to infuriating inconsistency could also cause general manager Brian Cashman to seek a significant starting pitcher. And although a bullpen led by Aroldis Chapman and Dellin Betances was designed to dominate Tyler Clippard's disastrous June also places extra relief pitching on the bottom of New York's wish list.
With roughly a month remaining before July 31's non-waiver trade deadline, let's construct five hypothetical trades which would help the Yankees reverse their slump.
New York Mets
1 of 5
To Yankees: 1B Lucas Duda and RP Addison Reed
To Mets: OF Dustin Fowler, 2B Nick Solak and RHP Jonathan Holder
The Yankees need not search far for a first baseman. The New York Mets' misfortune makes the crosstown rivals perfect trade partners.
According to ESPN's Buster Olney, the Mets are "open for business" as sellers this summer. Top prospect Dominic Smith's eventual arrival diminishes the chances of them reaching a deal for upcoming free agent Lucas Duda, who would look great in pinstripes.
Amid the Mets' mountain of injuries, the underrated slugger has quietly batted .253/.364/.555 with 13 homers over 54 games. The left-handed bruiser would live like a king if targeting Yankee Stadium's short porch in right field, and the Bronx Bombers shouldn't need to relinquish an elite prospect for a frequently injured 31-year-old on an expiring contract.
While they're at the negotiating table, Cashman might see if he can pluck Addison Reed or Jerry Blevins away from Mets general manager Sandy Alderson. If Clippard—who has relinquished nine runs over his last three outings—has pitched his way out of the seventh-inning spot, Reed will intrigue the Yankees more as a luxury bridge to Dellin Betances and Aroldis Chapman.
Despite their current outfield logjam, the Mets have no legitimate center fielders with Juan Lagares struggling to stay healthy. Dustin Fowler, a 22-year-old batting .293 with 13 home runs and 13 steals in Triple-A, could fix that immediately if they clear space by also trading Curtis Granderson and Jay Bruce (or moving Bruce to first).
Fowler's high-contact approach doesn't quite fit Alderson's taste, but Nick Solak's 14.2 walk percentage in Single-A will catch his eye. The 22-year-old second baseman may amount to organizational depth, but he also offers speed and versatility the Mets' veteran lineup sorely lacks.
Their bullpen is going to get ugly without Reed, so the Mets land another immediate contributor in Kyle Holder, who posted a 3.78 ERA and 33 strikeouts in 33.1 innings before getting optioned to Triple-A.
The Yankees receive immediate reinforcements without selling a star prospect, and the Mets replenish their farm system with polished players. All New Yorkers can unite to celebrate a trade benefiting both parties.
Oakland Athletics
2 of 5
To Yankees: 1B Yonder Alonso
To Athletics: OF Dustin Fowler and 1B Tyler Austin
Alderson's former club, the Oakland Athletics, can similarly offer a strong first baseman. Barring an ice-cold July, Yonder Alonso is a more attractive option.
The 30-year-old has resuscitated a career previously devoid of power. Playing on a one-year, $4 million contract, he has shattered a previous personal high of nine home runs with 17 in 69 games. An elevated fly-ball rate supports his newly harnessed power, so buyers should not beware a massive second-half decline.
Oakland, however, is giving young talent extended looks while stuck in the American League West's cellar. Since the small-market club is unlikely to give Alonso the sizable raise he deserves, expect him to test his new power for a contender.
The A's also brandish several veteran relievers (Sean Doolittle, Ryan Madson and Santiago Casilla) to shop, but they're absent from this exchange. Madson and Casillia will respectively make $7.7 million and $6 million next year, and Doolittle's club options beyond 2018 will increase Oakland's asking price.
So let's confine the discussion to Alonso, who should fetch a formidable return. Fowler would join Oakland's lineup the second his flight arrives. Recently promoted to replace the struggling Chris Carter, Tyler Austin wouldn't replicate the Cuban's production, but he displayed power upside for the Yankees last year.
Although Austin's strikeout woes hinder his upside, Oakland has gambled on many fringe talents before. Some, such as Alonso, pan out, but the 25-year-old righty could at least fulfill the light end of a platoon.
If bullpen conditions don't improve during the next weeks, perhaps Cashman will be more open to paying Madson beyond 2017 or adding another meaningful prospect or two to also acquire Doolittle.
Miami Marlins
3 of 5
To Yankees: 1B Justin Bour
To Marlins: SS Jorge Mateo, RHPs Domingo Acevedo and Taylor Widener
Perhaps Cashman wants more than just a rental at first. In that case, he can call the Miami Marlins for Justin Bour.
According to USA Today's Bob Nightengale, the Marlins are "open for business" after trading Adeiny Hechavarria to the Tampa Bay Rays. The Yankees and Red Sox have each reportedly expressed interest in Martin Prado, but his .688 OPS hardly qualifies as an upgrade over third baseman Chase Headley.
Nightengale added that the Yankees are also keen on first baseman Justin Bour, whose .289/.364/.564 slash line would offer far more assistance. The 29-year-old will enter his first of three arbitration years in 2018, so the Marlins should not part with him easily.
He's essentially Duda with a few less walks and few more hits, but the contract makes a considerable difference. Then again, this could also be the first time he plays 130 or more games in a season, so perhaps Miami will sell below his elevated market value.
Ranked No. 85 in Baseball America's preseason prospect rankings, Jorge Mateo's hype has waned due to a .298 on-base percentage in 70 High-A games. Yet, the Marlins have no present or future replacement for Hechavarria, so they're the trading partner most likely to gamble on the speedy shortstop.
Since Mateo is no longer a marquee trade headliner, the Yankees also have rising prospect Domingo Acevedo, a 23-year-old righty who has accrued 100 strikeouts over three different minor league levels this season. Although the 6'7", 240-pound power pitcher needs more polish, the Marlins are aggressive enough to quickly test his triple-digit heater in the majors.
Sweetening the pot with another hard thrower, Taylor Widener has notched 73 strikeouts in 69 High-A innings with a sharp fastball-slider combination. He has a far greater chance of standing out in Miami's barren farm system, and the Yankees can spare some young pitching for a major offensive upgrade.
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Chicago White Sox
4 of 5
To Yankees: SP Jose Quintana and 1B/3B Todd Frazier
To White Sox: OF Clint Frazier, RHP Justus Sheffield, RHP Zack Littell, 1B Tyler Austin and SS Wilkerman Garcia
Perhaps the Yankees' primary pitching target, Jose Quintana, blanked them through 6.1 innings on Tuesday. Following a sluggish start to 2017, the southpaw repaired his trade value with a 1.78 June ERA.
Make no mistake, his worth remains high despite this season's 4.37 ERA and 1.30 WHIP. A beacon of consistency before 2017, he holds a career 3.49 ERA with more innings pitched than all but seven other pitchers since 2013.
He's also signed to a bargain contract for $8.35 million next season with $10.5 million club options for both 2019 and 2020. If the Yankees want a study starter under team control, they must give the Chicago White Sox significant prospects.
They could also use Todd Frazier, who conversely shouldn't cost the farm. Playing out an expiring contract, the New Jersey native has slowly regained his power stroke with six June home runs while dragging his average above the Mendoza line.
Like it or not, the Yankees would need to send their Frazier the other way to snag Quintana.
Acquired for Andrew Miller last July, Clint Frazier is their top healthy prospect. Gleyber Torres is out for the season with Tommy John and likely would have been untouchable anyway. A swelling of injuries could lead to a late-season promotion for the outfielder, but the Yankees aren't landing Quintana without sacrificing a blue-chip talent.
They also relinquish Justus Sheffield, the second-biggest piece of their Miller exchange with the Cleveland Indians. MLB.com's No. 67 prospect is expendable for an organization loaded with pitching talent, especially after this year's draft. There's also a distinct possibility he ends up in the bullpen.
For good measure, let's also add Zack Littell, an overlooked prospect dominating in the minors. Called up after twirling a 1.77 ERA in Single-A, the 21-year-old hurler has stockpiled 20 strikeouts during two scoreless Double-A starts. Although only listed as the team's 20th-best prospect on MLB.com, his stock is rapidly rising.
Austin and Wilkerman Garcia, a 19-year-old prospect signed from Venezuela, round out the package. Cashman might not be comfortable giving so much, but there's also a solid chance Chicago decides this still isn't enough.
San Francisco Giants
5 of 5
To Yankees: SP Johnny Cueto
To Giants: OF Dustin Fowler and SP Chance Adams
Quintana, Sonny Gray and Gerrit Cole are the usual pitching suspects when speculating a major deadline move. Yet, none of their respective clubs have any reason to rush a deal for a peak-age ace years away from crashing the open market.
Johnny Cueto may prove a different story.
According to FanRag Sports' Jon Heyman, the San Francisco Giants star plans to opt out of his contract at the end of 2017, forgoing four more years worth $84 million. If that's the case, the 30-51 Giants have no reason to retain him beyond the trade deadline.
Cueto pushed the Kansas City Royals over the hump as a 2015 midseason acquisition, and he helped guide San Francisco to the postseason with a 2.79 ERA last year. While his current 4.20 ERA shouldn't significantly deflate his free-agent or trade market, his 13 home runs allowed away from the pitcher-friendly AT&T Park should spark some concern for the Yankees.
But nobody needing pitching can be picky. A workhorse with a career 3.25 ERA still signifies a major boost.
As for Giants, few farm systems are in bigger need of a talent influx. They also, however, might view 2017 as a temporary blemish rather than an impetus to start fresh. Luckily the Yankees can offer major league-ready prospects to fuel a 2018 reset.
Frazier is too steep a price for someone poised to test free agency this winter, but Fowler can join Denard Span and Hunter Pence in the outfield and prepare San Francisco for life without both veterans. He would fit right in as someone with solid tools across the board.
Cashman would probably rather not part with Chance Adams, who is waiting to join New York's rotation with a 2.12 Triple-A ERA. But that's the cost of business when pursuing a title.
All salary information obtained from Cot's Baseball Contracts.
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