30 July 2023
With the Aug. 1 trade deadline rapidly approaching, the Yankees, as of Thursday morning, feel they are in a position to be buyers. But with a big series in Baltimore starting on Friday, the team is taking things day-by-day.
The Yankees, 54-48, entered Thursday in last place but just 2.5 games out of the American League’s third and final wild card spot. The Rays, Astros and Blue Jays all held wild card positions, while the Red Sox were 1.5 games out. The Yankees are currently exploring ways to improve, but three games against the first-place Orioles could change things before the Bombers return home for a three-game series against Tampa Bay, which overlaps with Tuesday’s deadline.
Should the Yankees buy, adding outfield help makes perfect sense. They could use a left-handed bat and solid defender, especially in left field. The Cubs’ Cody Bellinger, the Rockies’ Randal Grichuk, the Cardinals’ Dylan Carlson, and the Nationals’ Lane Thomas are some of the outfielders the Yankees have been linked to.
Each player is having close to or above average offensive seasons based on wRC+, but their gloves and costs — in terms of salaries and what it would take to acquire them — vary. Carlson is a switch-hitter who is much better from the right side, while Thomas and Grichuk are right-handed hitters.
While catching is less of a priority, even after Jose Trevino’s season-ending wrist injury, the Yankees are considering upgrading other areas of the roster. That includes the rotation and the bullpen.
However, the Yankees can only fill so many holes with the trade chips — at the minor and major league levels — that they have available. The competitive balance tax is also a factor. According to Cot’s Contracts, the Yankees’ payroll is already over $295 million. The highest tax threshold is $293 million. Exceeding it comes with a 60% surcharge.
There is also the matter of rehabbing Yankees. The team views the expected returns of OF Aaron Judge, SP Nestor Cortes and RP Jonathan Loáisiga as additions. While that doesn’t necessarily mean the Yankees won’t venture outside of the organization for help, those players would impact three areas of concern, though Judge won’t play left field, and he doesn’t hit from the left side.
While the Yankees weigh their options, one team trailing them in the wild card race has already gone all in on buying.
The Angels, who woke up four games out of a wild card spot on Thursday, decided to keep Shohei Ohtani, an impending free agent, on Wednesday, per Sports Illustrated’s Tom Verducci. They then went ahead and traded two top prospects to the White Sox for SP Lucas Giolito and RP Reynaldo López. With Mike Trout also expected back from injury, the Angels are in a similar — though slightly worse — place than the Yankees, but they’ve pushed all their chips to the middle.
Time will tell if the Yankees do the same or take a different approach to this year’s deadline.
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