MLB Trade Speculation: 10 Pitchers the Red Sox and Yankees Will Battle over
The 2011 season is shaping up to be another battle between the Boston Red Sox and the New York Yankees for the AL East title.
The two powerhouses have been feuding for decades. And like any good feud, they can fight over anything.
Some of the biggest blows in this rivalry have come off the field.
The Yankees landed some big ones when they one-upped the Sox in the trade battle for Alex Rodriguez, then continued to kick them while they were down by trading for Bartolo Colon to be the ace of their staff and convincing Mark Teixiera to spurn them in the 2010 offseason.
But like any good feud, the Sox bounced back with the signing of Carl Crawford and the trade for Adrian Gonzalez.
This season the battle will be over pitching. Both squads need help in the starting rotation as well as the bullpen.
Here are 10 pitchers the Red Sox and the Yankees will be fighting over in the weeks to come.
Kevin Slowey
1 of 10
A good pitcher with above-average control, Slowey has been the odd man out in the Minnesota rotation this year.
Despite having a career record of 39-21 as a starter, Slowey was demoted to the bullpen this season. He’s pitched well in his relief role, but it’s clear that he wants to be back in the starting rotation soon.
If the Twins don’t give him those starts he’ll likely push for a trade, and he could be the kind of versatile arm that both the Red Sox and Yankees need.
Edwin Jackson
2 of 10
Already six games out of first in the AL Central and with pitching to spare, the White Sox should be in the selling business come the trade deadline.
Jackson would be a tantalizing target for the Yanks and the Sox because he’s a proven starter who can be counted on to get you a high number of solid innings.
He’s just the type of arm that both teams could use to solidify the back end of their rotations.
Francisco Liriano
3 of 10
A talented left-hander, Liriano has had an up-and-down 2011 season so far.
His numbers are down slightly this year, with a 5.73 ERA and 1.46 WHIP, both of which are higher than his career average.
The no-hitter he threw on May 3rd reminded the baseball world of the kind of results he’s capable of putting up.
It’s that upside that will make Liriano a tempting player for Boston and New York.
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Wandy Rodriguez
4 of 10
Another solid pitcher who’s had some tough times this season, Wandy Rodriguez could be a real sleeper for someone this year.
The Astros are in total rebuilding mode and will want to make deals with teams like the Red Sox and the Yankees who will be willing to trade young talent for good pitching.
Rodriguez has had some injury problems so far this year, but looks to be coming back healthy in the next few weeks and would be ready to step into a rotation spot for either Boston or New York.
Brian Fuentes
5 of 10
Both the Red Sox and the Yankees have a need for a left-handed arm out of the bullpen.
Brian Fuentes will be the guy that they fight over to meet that need.
Fuentes is a veteran player with the proven track record that powerhouse teams look for. His body of work shows both teams that he has what it takes to get the job done as a specialist to be used when they need to get out a good left-handed hitter.
John Danks
6 of 10
John Danks is another Chicago arm that should be available to the highest bidder in the coming weeks.
On the surface, Danks’ 1-8 record thus far in 2011 would make it seem like he would be a player to stay away from. But if you take a look at his stats, you see that his record is more a function of his underperforming team than his actions on the mound.
His 4.75 ERA and 1.47 WHIP are close to his career averages, and the run support he’ll get from either the Sox or the Yankees lineup should drastically improve that win-loss record.
Brett Myers
7 of 10
Brett Myers is a strong-armed right-hander who’s a valuable commodity because he can start and he can pitch out of the bullpen.
Myers is another player whose numbers are slightly worse than usual this season, but much of that could be due to the fact that he’s pitching for a bad team.
His 4.23 career ERA is a solid number, and his playoff experience with Philadelphia proves that he can get the job done when it matters the most.
More important than even that, the Sox would love to acquire his awesome facial hair, and the Yankees would love to make him shave it.
Heath Bell
8 of 10
Bell is the best reliever on the trading block, so the Sox and the Yanks will both go after him with all they’ve got.
A dominating presence on the mound, Bell has the experience as a closer that will make him a valuable addition to either bullpen staff.
He’s a free agent after this season, so the Padres are very unlikely to hold on to him because they know that they won’t be able to match the kind of offers he’s likely to get in the offseason.
Kevin Correia
9 of 10
Another back-of-the-rotation innings-eater, Kevin Correia would make a great addition to the rotations of either Boston or New York.
Correia is having one of the best years of his career in the majors with a 3.40 ERA.
Despite having played better than expected this year, the Pirates have slipped to 6.5 games back in the tough NL Central division. They should be sellers again this year and Correia could bring them a nice haul of young talent from the two AL East juggernauts.
Jason Marquis
10 of 10
A veteran pitcher having a career year sounds like just the kind of player that will have the Red Sox and Yankees one-upping each other to get his services.
A free agent after this year, Marquis is setting himself up to get a nice little payday in the offseason. Rather than losing him to a higher bidder, the Nationals are likely to move him for young talent before the trade deadline.
New York and Boston will both have the ammo to go get him. It will likely come down to which team is willing to give up the most to get him.
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