MLB Trade Talk: 5 Pitchers Who Could Make the Yankees World Series Champions

The New York Yankees need a starting pitcher.

It's no secret.

Starting pitching is what ultimately wins championships and the Yankees are unlikely to do so unless they acquire a sufficient replacement for Phil Hughes and A.J. Burnett's shaky consistency.

Also considering the age and longevity concerns surrounding Bartolo Colon and Freddy Garcia, now is the time for general manager Brian Cashman to make a move and solidify New York's playoff hopes.

Moving forward, with pitching heavy teams like the Boston Red Sox and Los Angeles Angels, a pitching acquisition could be the deciding factor in whether or not the Yankees get past the first round this postseason.

With that said, based on availability and production thus far into the year, here are the top five starting options the Yankees could use to launch them into World Series contention.

5. Ubaldo Jimenez, Colorado Rockies

Some would think that Ubaldo Jimenez should be the No. 1 targeted pitcher that the New York Yankees should obtain, but the Colorado Rockies' ace isn't all what he seems.

There's no arguing that Jimenez possess the most shear ability and heat seeking talent among the players on this list, but his inconsistency on a weekly basis is something that the Yankees have struggled with throughout the year.

Why add another similar option to an already suspect rotation?

Also considering it's going to take the world to convince the Rockies to trade their best pitcher, moving in on Jimenez isn't the best of decisions.

His 4.20 ERA has been a product of the 27-year-old lowering a disgusting 6.10 ERA since the end of May, but it still comes in a little too high for an AL East team's liking.

With all of that said, beyond his early season woes and high asking price, Jimenez is more than capable of shouldering the load for the Yankees down the stretch.

While his right handed pitching doesn't provide a lot of comfort against opponents at Yankee Stadium, his velocity, strikeout ability, longevity and ability to catch fire at anytime would make him an ideal replacement for the upcoming postseason.

The question is, is his value too high and how would he fair in the American League?

4. Doug Fister, Seattle Mariners

This may come as a surprise to many people, but Doug Fister would be a great add for the New York Yankees moving forward.

He pitches in the American League, eats innings, boasts a terrific 1.17 WHIP and his acquisition wouldn't require the team to give up too much.

Fister's ERA sits at 3.33, making him one of the most consistent pitchers in the league through the first four months of the season.

Despite his 12 loses which is a product of playing for the offensively challenged Seattle Mariners, the 27-year-old has recorded 12 quality starts in 21 outings.

He's 2-0 this season against the AL East, giving up only three runs through 13 innings of work.

What makes him even more interesting is that Foster has posted a sub-3.00 ERA against AL playoff contenders, including Boston, Los Angeles, Cleveland and Detroit.

Clearly, Fister has the ability to wins game and limit runs against top notch teams.

He makes for a great buy-low candidate for the Yankees heading into the weekend and could end up being a major reason why the team reaches the World Series for the second time in three years.

3. Wandy Rodriguez, Houston Astros

The Houston Astros could be ready to trade Wandy Rodriguez and the New York Yankees should be waiting with open arms.

Rodriguez has had a down year in the wins department with seven, but his 3.47 ERA and 12 quality starts still suggest that he's one of the best pitchers available for the Yankees to land.

Now while the AL East, and the American League for that matter, is more playoff worthy than the NL Central, Rodriguez shouldn't have a problem continuing his dominating ways.

The 32-year-old has proven over the past two and half seasons that he's definitely capable of shouldering a rotation from time to time, using his great strikeout potential, solid command and limiting runs when the game is on the line.

Rodriguez would be a menacing factor against left handed hitters at Yankee Stadium, giving them another starting option that would take away the benefits of the field's short dimensions from opposing lineups.

Given his MLB experience as a No. 1 pitcher and the Yankees dyer need for a consistent option, Rodriguez serves as a fantastic acquisition.

2. Hiroki Kuroda, Los Angeles Dodgers

Beyond his 6-13 record, Hiroki Kuroda has nearly been a top 15 pitcher in the league this year.

With a 3.11 ERA and a 1.23 WHIP, the 36-year-old Japanese pitcher is arguably playing his best baseball ever.

Based on his production thus far into the year, Kuroda basically throws a quality game two out of every three starts.

He doesn't walk a lot of guys, doesn't surrender too many home runs which is good for Yankee Stadium and has pitched very well against the Los Angeles Angels in 2011.

Kuroda shouldn't warrant too much of an asking price considering the Los Angeles Dodgers are amidst a huge financial crisis, so the Yankees should take advantage of his easy availability.

With a career 3.50 ERA and 1.18 WHIP, how could you go wrong?

1. Mark Buehrle, Chicago White Sox

Here he is.

Veteran lefty, Mark Buehrle, could be the best option for the New York Yankees and their World Series hopes.

Buehrle is one of the most postseason proven starters in all of baseball, let alone possessing far superior experience above and beyond any other potential trade acquisition for the Yankees.

The soon-to-be free agent has gone 2-1 in his playoff career through 30.2 innings in six starts.

Now while his postseason ERA sits at an average 4.11, he was one of the main reasons why the Chicago White Sox won the 2005 World Series.

The crafty veteran has been outstanding this season, posting eight wins and a 3.22 ERA through 134 innings.

Going forward, the Yankees would benefit dearly from acquiring Buehrle from the White Sox.

The 32-year-old is an absolute innings eater, doesn't walk anybody and is one of the best big-game pitchers in the league.

Given his track record and resurgent 2011 season, there's no other pitcher available for trade that the Yankees should think about getting.