Just In: Yankees mock trade sends valued pitcher for former All-Star OF

The New York Yankees strengthened their outfield depth chart but at the cost of one of their top starting pitchers in a recent simulated trade.

A group of writers at The Athletic devised a hypothetical trade scenario in which the Yankees trade left-handed pitcher Nestor Cortes, right-handed pitcher Brock Selvidge, and shortstop prospect Roderick Arias to the Miami Marlins in exchange for center fielder Jazz Chisholm Jr.

This proposed trade was reported by The Sporting News’ Kevin Hickey.

The Yankees are considering parting ways with Nestor Cortes and some prospects to bolster their roster before the trade deadline

Rumors have been circulating about the potential trade of Cortes for several weeks. While the seasoned pitcher has performed well in 2024, there have been some challenges along the way. With Gerrit Cole, the reigning AL Cy Young award winner, returning to the lineup and Luis Gil demonstrating exceptional performance, Cortes will face competition from Carlos Rodon, Marcus Stroman, and Cody Poteet for a spot in the rotation once he recovers from injury.

Additionally, the Yankees have options in the form of Selvidge and Arias. Selvidge, the Yankees’ 92nd overall pick in 2021, has recorded 72 strikeouts with a 3.75 ERA and a 1.35 WHIP in Double-A for the Somerset Patriots, while Arias has showcased his skills by stealing 19 bases and contributing 43 RBIs in 279 at-bats in Single-A for the Tampa Tarpons.

It’s increasingly evident that Cortes may not have a secure place in New York, despite his impressive statistics this season, including a 3.51 ERA, a remarkable 1.105 WHIP, a low 4.5 percent walk rate (93rd percentile), and 98 strikeouts in 18 starts, leading the MLB. Packaging him with Selvidge and Arias could yield a valuable return for the Yankees, but the question remains: Is Chisholm Jr. the right player to target in such a trade?

• The Yankees are actively searching the trade market for pitching help.
• The Yankees might pursue a high-caliber infielder to address their offensive challenges.
• In a hypothetical trade scenario, the Yankees would trade a prized pitcher for a former All-Star outfielder.

Are the Yankees in dire need of assistance primarily in center field?

Chisholm Jr., who was an All-Star in 2022, has already surpassed his 2022 doubles total of 10 with 12 in 2023, and has equaled his 2022 triples total of 4. Having missed only three games so far this year, the 26-year-old is on track to hit approximately 19.6 home runs if he continues at this pace for the remainder of 2024, matching his career-high from 2023 at the least and potentially exceeding it if he reaches 20 homers by the end of the season.

Bringing Chisholm Jr. to the Yankees would be advantageous as it would help keep CF Aaron Judge’s legs fresh in the latter part of the season. Chisholm Jr., a native of the Bahamas, has a .990 fielding percentage this season, with 195 putouts and only two errors in center field.