The New York Yankees acquired two All-Star pitchers with control, David Bednar and Camilo Doval, but managed to hold on to Spencer Jones.
The team reportedly turned down offers that included Jones to get Sandy Alcántara in the Bronx, according to The Athletic’s Brendan Kuty. Clearly the Yankees are pleased with Jones’ recent surge, but Cashman refused to say he was an untouchable prospect in trade talks.
Jones has been on an absolute tear since being called up to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. He is slashing .402/.461/.920 with 13 home runs in 21 games. His strikeouts may still be a concern, but the team clearly decided that holding on to him is worth it.
That decision could speak volumes about the Yankees’ plans with Cody Bellinger. Aaron Judge figures to return to the outfield as soon as he can throw again and will man the position for years to come. Jasson Domínguez seems to be regarded highly as a part of the team’s future. As for the third outfield spot, the future is less clear right now.
Trent Grisham will be a free agent after the season, and Bellinger seems likely to opt out of his deal. He has been a great addition to the Yankees, slashing .283/.335/.514 with 20 home runs. He seems destined to earn a lucrative deal on the open market.
If the Yankees were confident they were going to pay him or if they knew they were going to make sure he sticks, trading Jones would have made sense. However, the fact that Jones is still in the organization could mean the team plans on letting Bellinger walk. Jones could even see the field this year.
“If the Yankees believe in Jones, they could hand him the keys to center field as early as 2026,” wrote Kuty. “Or they could promote him in August or September. He played his last two games in right field — a sudden area of concern for the Yankees with Judge on the injured list with a right flexor tendon strain. The Yankees hope Judge will be back to full strength and playing defense again within a month, but if he heals slowly or has a setback, Jones might get his first chance in the majors.”
Jones would have been able to get the Yankees an elite pitcher with club control at the deadline. However, the team may think it has a potential star and choose to keep him in favor of short-term gain.
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