Yankees Trade Rumors: NY Interested in Madison Bumgarner, Marcus Stroman

The New York Yankees are in the market for a starting pitcher.

According to Ken Davidoff of the New York Post, the Yankees "have spoken with the Toronto Blue Jays about starting pitcher Marcus Stroman, an industry source said, and they have scouted San Francisco Giants veteran lefty Madison Bumgarner, whose contract gives him the right to block a trade to the Yankees."

Davidoff added that Toronto's Aaron Sanchez "is very available, too, and the Texas Rangers' Mike Minor should [be] on the market unless Texas maintains its surprising run at an AL playoff spot."

Injuries have played a major role in the team's need to add starting pitching. Ace Luis Severino and fellow starter Jordan Montgomery have yet to make a start this season as they recover from injuries, while Domingo German was put on the 10-day injured list Sunday.

That has left J.A. Happ, Masahiro Tanaka, CC Sabathia and James Paxton—who recently returned from the injured list himself—in the team's rotation, with the fifth spot still in flux while German is injured. With Severino likely out until sometime in July at the earliest and Montgomery gunning for an August return, the Yankees could use an upgrade to the rotation in the interim.

Bumgarner and Stroman would each provide one. The 29-year-old Bumgarner isn't having his best season, going 3-5 with a 4.05 ERA, 1.20 WHIP and 79 strikeouts in 80 innings this season, and injuries limited him in both 2017 and 2018. 

But his postseason stats and accolades—he's 8-3 with a 2.11 ERA, 0.90 WHIP and 87 strikeouts in 102.1 innings, is a three-time champion and was both the 2014 NLCS and World Series MVP—are a reminder of just how valuable he can be come October.

As for the 28-year-old Stroman, he's gone 3-8 with a 3.31 ERA, 1.32 WHIP and 63 strikeouts in 81.2 innings. He doesn't have the pedigree of Bumgarner, but he's also under club control through the 2020 season, while Bumgarner will be a free agent after the season.