The New York Yankees stumbled into the All-Star break, giving up their division lead to the Toronto Blue Jays and exposing several weaknesses on the roster.
Now the team is left to plug those holes with external additions where they can before the trade deadline. And general manager Brian Cashman has vowed to do so.
“Whether it’s bullpen guys or starting pitchers, it’s just all of it,” Cashman said of where the team will look to improve, per ESPN’s Jorge Castillo. “We have people that are capable, but I think it also needs to get some help. And if I can do so, great. … We’re going to be fully engaged and see where it takes us.”
As the Yankees look for a holistic overhaul that can improve numerous positions of the roster ahead of a playoff run, there could be one trade partner that can help. Pete Caldera of NorthJersey.com predicted that the Yankees would swing a massive deal with the Arizona Diamondbacks to bring in several reinforcements.
“One day before MLB’s July 31 trade deadline, the Yankees land (Eugenio) Suarez, starter Merrill Kelly and lefty reliever Jalen Beeks from the Diamondbacks,” Caldera projected. “In exchange, the Yankees send right-hander Clayton Beeter, top minor league pitching prospects Ben Hess and Bryce Cunningham, outfielder Everson Pereira and infielder Roc Riggio to Arizona.”
That trade might be ambitious, but the Diamondbacks do seem like one of the only likely sellers with answers to all of the Yankees’ needs. Suarez earned an All-Star bid this season as one of the sport’s best third basemen, while Kelly could serve as a key mid-rotation arm and Beeks as some critical relief reinforcement.
Meanwhile, Caldera’s projection would allow the Yankees to keep top prospects George Lombard Jr., Spencer Jones and Cam Schlittler, all of whom might be untouchable from the organization’s perspective.
But with just 13 days to go before Caldera’s projected date, pulling off an eight-player deal like this will be complicated.
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