Yankees Trade Rumors: Jacoby Ellsbury Deal Discussed by Giants

The San Francisco Giants have reportedly contacted the New York Yankees about a trade for outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury, according to Buster Olney of ESPN.

The 35-year-old missed all of 2018 and is owed about $48 million in his monster contract, so the Yankees would love to get rid of him if possible. However, Olney reported the most likely situation would be a swap of bad contracts.

Veteran pitcher Johnny Cueto was listed as a possibility in a trade.

The 32-year-old is coming off Tommy John surgery and is set to make more than $21 million in each of the next three seasons with a $22 million option for 2022. However, his team will recuperate some of that money from insurance for as long as he is out.

Cueto has also shown more recently he can be an impact player, posting a 3.23 ERA in nine starts before his season-ending surgery in 2018. He also finished sixth in Cy Young voting in 2016 after earning an All-Star selection.

Ellsbury hasn't been an All-Star since 2011 and has been mostly a disappointment since signing a seven-year, $153 million deal with the Yankees before the 2014 season. He hit .264 with seven home runs and 22 stolen bases in 112 games in 2017 before a hip injury cost him all of last season.

General manager Brian Cashman said in October that Ellsbury "is supposed to be fully recovered" by Opening Day, via Brian Hoch of the team's official site.

The Giants—who are in need of outfield depth—could take a chance that the 35-year-old is back to full strength and can make a positive impact at the plate, in the field and on the basepaths. 

Ellsbury is set to make about $21.1 million in each of the next two years with a $5 million buyout in 2021 if his option is not picked up.