The Yankees Have Needs to Address Before the Trade Deadline

Last season, the New York Yankees were in a tailspin. Pitcher Gerrit Cole was carrying the starting rotation, hitters often found themselves on the IL, and the Yankees had no full-time reliever. This season has been a full 180; even without Cole, the starting rotation and bullpen has been stellar, even without Cole, who has been on the IL since February. The addition of right fielder Juan Soto in December was thought to be a desperation move by general manager Brian Cashman, but Soto is an MVP candidate. His addition to the team has been a big help to center fielder Aaron Judge and designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton. Even though the trade deadline is weeks away and the Yankees currently have the best record in MLB (as of this writing), they might need some help down the road.

Rizzo’s Injury Creates the Need for a First Baseman

After an abrupt ending to his 2023 season, first baseman Anthony Rizzo returned to the Yankees. Like teammate Judge, Rizzo got off to a slow start. Unlike Judge, who has had the greatest 40 games of his career, Rizzo’s slow start has carried over into June, hitting .223 with 8 HR and 27 RBI. He has a 48-19 strikeout-to-walks ratio and a .289 OPP with a .630 OBSP. Yikes. After fracturing his wrist on Sunday night, Rizzo will be out for 4-6 weeks. Prospect Ben Rice will be filling in while Rizzo recovers, but which veteran could Cashman and the Yankees snag at the trade deadline? There are plenty of names out there like Kris Bryant – Colorado would be more than happy to shed that albatross of a contract – and Josh Bell.

(Theoretically, the Yankees could snag Vladimir Guerrero, Jr. or Pete Alonso. However, Guerrero, Jr. is in an arbitration year and Alonso will be a free agent. If Cashman is willing to part with some prospects, the high risk with either of these two could yield high rewards.)

Torres’ Poor Play Warrants Help at Second Base

Remember when Gleyber Torres wasn’t a liability for the Yankees? For the first two seasons as a Yankee, Torres was an All-Star and he bashed 38 home runs in 2019. But since 2020, his numbers at the plate have declined. Since moving to second base in 2021, his fielding has been suboptimal. Last season, Torres had 15 errors; he has 10 already this season, including this colossal OOPS:

fuckin YIKES gleyber pic.twitter.com/3NpK0hSNH1

— Talkin' Yanks (@TalkinYanks) June 7, 2024

While he shows glimpses of past brilliance at the plate, it’s time for the Yankees to move on. Come trade deadline, who will the Yankees bring in to replace Torres? I would look at veteran infielder (and one-time Yankee) Brandon Drury, who is currently languishing in Anaheim. While he’s hitting light this season, he wouldn’t be a liability in the infield, and fielding can make the difference between winning a World Series and going home empty-handed.

Another Starter – or At Least an Opener

The starting rotation of the Yankees has been night and day when you compare this season to 2023. Ace starter Gerrit Cole won’t make his first start of the season until Wednesday in a pivotal series against Baltimore. Nestor Cortes – at times – has returned to his 2022 form while Carlos Rodon is enjoying a nice bounce back season. Even with all the success the starting rotation has enjoyed, could the Yankees use another starter at the trade deadline? Cashman has obtained arms at the deadline in the past that have helped the Bronx Bombers down the stretch. It wouldn’t hurt to add another starter – or at least an opener – to give their bigger arms some rest as they get closer to the playoffs. But if Aaron Boone is happy with his rotation come July 30, don’t expect the Yankees to move for a starter.

More Left-Handed Bullpen Help

After a rough weekend in Boston, the Yankees’ bullpen was exposed. Eric Katz – a fellow writer at Belly Up Sports – made his case for the Yankees acquiring an additional left-handed bullpen arm. The Yankees acquired Caleb Ferguson from the Dodgers before Spring training to add a left-handed arm to the bullpen. As Katz has noted, it hasn’t worked out; Ferguson has been tagged for 13 earned runs in 22.2 innings pitched with a 5.16 ERA. Not great. Could the Miami Marlins be a dance partner for the Yankees at the trade deadline? Reliever Tanner Scott is set for free agency at the end of this season. He’s touting a 1.86 ERA and while his K-BB ratio isn’t impressive (32 K, 21 BB), he’s only surrendered six earned runs this season. Scott will cost a little more in terms of salary, but he’s an improvement over a disappointing Ferguson.

My name is Ryan McCarthy and I’m a senior writer at Belly Up Sports. Catch the excitement of all our MLB coverage right here. Find me on Twitter: whoisryanmcc. Also, catch my podcast No Credentials Required at the link below or on your preferred podcast platform.