The New York Yankees are anticipated to make some additions at the next MLB trade deadline, and one source claims they could make a huge move for a rival team’s marquee player.
ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel and Jeff Passan ranked the top 50 potential trade candidates in the MLB, with Boston Red Sox star Alex Bregman at the top. While the pair only predicted a 10% chance that the Sox would sell Bregman, they chose an even more unlikely trade partner: the Yankees.
Yankees might score big with the Red Sox trade.
According to the source, Bregman is playing some of the greatest baseball of his career, but his $120 million contract may make him a difficult sell for the Red Sox
“Bregman has been an elite big league hitter since he entered the league in 2016 but has leaned more into power this year, with his highest isolated power since 2019,” according to the study. “Most of his underlying power indicators (barrel rate, maximum exit velo, average launch angle and hard hit rate) are at career highs.”
According to the article, Bregman has the option to extend his contract for another two years for $40 million per year, potentially making him an even more expensive target.
If Bregman does end up on the trade block, the Yankees may have tough competition for him. McDaniel and Passan also mentioned the Chicago Cubs, Detroit Tigers, and New York Mets as potential “best fits” for Bregman.
The Yankees might also choose to address their pitching staff, which was severely harmed when star Gerrit Cole underwent season-ending Tommy John surgery this spring. The Yankees do have reigning AL Rookie of the Year Luis Gil returning shortly, which would help their rotation without having to go to the trade market.
Yankees May Opt for Quiet Trade Deadline
Though the Yankees have been linked to a number of high-profile players ahead of the trade deadline, The Athletic’s Chris Kirschner proposed another option. He noted that the AL East-leading Yankees would face an expensive proposition in adding to their roster, which could cause them to avoid any major moves.
“Brace yourself for the possibility that this trade deadline might be a dud,” Kirschner told reporters. “There are too many teams still in the running. Maybe that changes in a month, but in the expanded playoff era, we’ve seen organizations prefer to hold or acquire rather than sell. Sneaking into the playoffs, who knows what will happen.”
Kirschner stated that if the Yankees decide to go aggressive, they could explore for other targets, such as Eugenio Suarez of the Arizona Diamondbacks.
“One issue with Suárez is many teams with better prospects will likely be interested in him,” according to Kirschner. “Do the Yankees have enough to land what could be the best player available?”
Kirschner noted that the Yankees could consider other choices, such as Colorado Rockies third baseman Ryan McMahon.
“He kind of fits the Yankee mold,” he added. “He hits the ball extremely hard, is a good defender, and would frustrate the hell out of the fan base because he strikes out a lot.”
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