TIME-OUT

Today represents the first day of the 2018 All-Star break.  At this point, the Yankees have certainly delivered a very good season.  They are 29 games above the .500 mark with a 62-33 record and own the second-best record in baseball.  That’s the good news.  The bad news is that the Yankees are 4.5 games behind the team with the best record in baseball…the Red Sox (a team who seems to have forgotten how to lose)!

The Yankees could, of course, overtake that lead with over 75 games left to play; but, if they don’t, it would mean that (unless they totally fall apart) they will be playing a 1-game wildcard/playoff game, just like they did last year.  This season, though, all of the potential opponents are much better than the Twins were last year.

Before the season began, it was clear that the Yankees required additional starting pitchers.  It’s become even more evident as the season progressed, especially with the season-ending surgery incurred by Jordan Montgomery.  There are a decent number of starters out there on the market today and more will become available as we approach the non-waiver trading deadline, July 31 (by 4:00 PM).  The first name most New Yorkers relate is Jason deGrom from the Mets.  He has 2.5 years remaining until free agency and the Mets are downright awful!  The Mets need to make at least 2 major trades to gain any hope for next season (since their farm system has been rated as one of the worst).  If executed wisely, the Mets could gain multiple future stars versus 1 or 2 current stars.  Whether they choose to do the right thing, or not, is up to their chintzy owners.

I would love to have deGrom, but it is highly unlikely that either team would be willing to risk becoming the losing team in such a prominent trade.  The Mets would expect more young talent from the Yankees than any other potential trade partner.  While deGrom’s ERA is the lowest in the majors (1.68), I do have some reservations beyond the potential that several of those players could eventually become superstars for the Mets.  My concerns evolve around deGrom, mainly his health and his not being a lefty pitcher.  For the former, he’s 30 years old and has been under the supervision of the Mets’ trainers, who have an awful track record of monitoring and conditioning properly (their former trainers and their recent ones).  Yoenis Cespedes is a primary example.  As for deGrom’s awesome pitching as a righty, the Yankees clearly need to attain a lefty.  That’s because the Red Sox are the team to beat and their numbers against lefties are downright awful!  Additionally, Yankee Stadium is structured for lefty pitchers.

I not only prefer the Yankees attain a lefty, I would also prefer them to attain a starting pitcher who:

- has an excellent WHIP (Walks & Hits per Innings Pitched) somewhere below 1.25;
- is no older than 27; and
- is at least 6’ 2”.

The reason for the latter is because the plane of the pitch has a scientific advantage with over-the-top throws, if pitched properly.  Such pitchers (from teams who are presumably out of the race at this point) would include Blake Snell (Tampa Rays), Tyler Skaggs (LA Angels), and Sean Manaea (Oakland A’s).  For any of them, the Yankees would probably have to start their trade talks with their number one pitching prospect, Justin Sheffield (a lefty pitcher who is destined for the Major Leagues by next season).  The Yankees would most likely have to include at least 2 other superstars from their farm system and perhaps a promising young pitcher (Domingo German) from their current roster.  To me, if the Yankees were to attain such an arm meeting my 3 criteria, it would make such an acquisition absolutely worth the risk, especially since the Yankees have a high enough surplus of youthful prospects, whereby a trade of 3 of them would still leave them with plenty.

Besides deGrom, the press and the fans have been rumoring about the Yankees trying to acquire Manny Machado from the Baltimore Orioles (.315 batting average / 24 homers / 65 RBIs).  He has been playing shortstop this season, per his own request.  That’s because, after this season, he will become a free agent and shortstops tend to draw higher contracts than third basemen.  The Yankees have Didi Gregorius as their shortstop and one of their phenomenal rookies, Miguel Andujar, as their third baseman.  More than likely, if the Yankees did attain Machado, they would ask him to shift back to third base, while keeping Didi as their shortstop.  Besides, Machado’s defensive skills as a shortstop are below average.  He’s made twice as many errors there as Didi this year.  Then, the Yankees would probably trade Andujar because supposedly a lot of teams have been inquiring about his young talent, with many offensive stats above most rookies in 2018.  Additionally, at that point, the Yankees would still have Brandon Drury (currently on the AAA team, only because Andujar has excelled too much to remove him).  They could either use Drury as a third base backup option or they could also trade him.

I still want the Yankees to attain a starting lefty as a priority, but I also recognize that the Yankees have close to a 50:50 chance of playing in a winner-take-all playoff game.  An added dominant hitter would be very advantageous to include in that game’s lineup.  More than likely, that crucial game would already have the Yankees scheduling their ace, Luis Severino, to pitch.  That means that any acquired starting pitcher would be irrelevant for that specific game.  Of course any great starting pitcher that the Yankees could acquire would be very valuable for any game that follows; but, there would be NO game that follows if they don’t win the winner-take-all game!

Again, the Yankees have enough youthful talent to include in a substantial trade.  In fact, I think they have enough to make two great trades!  Even if they deplete a lot, next year their luxury tax restriction will be reset; so, they can then offer competitive deals to free agents to fulfill any imperatively needed enhancements.