The rumor mill did not need any extra grease. Talk about the New York Yankees potentially trading for Arizona Diamondbacks third baseman Eugenio Suarez had already been buzzing for months.
But the All-Star Break provided the discussion with a couple shots of adrenaline.
Eugenio Suarez Stirs Yankees Trade Buzz With All-Star Break Comments, Commercial
First, it was during media day on Monday, as Suarez, asked about the rumors of him heading to the Bronx, gave an answer that must have made Yankees fans weary with excitement.
“I’m happy where I am, but I understand the game and the business,” Suarez explained. “Whatever happens, if I stay it’s fine but if I go it’s okay too, I will do my best wherever I am — right now I’m happy where I am.
“The Yankees are the Yankees. It’s a team that wants to win. They had success last year but are still hungry. If I go there, I will do my best to try and help them win the World Series.”
Then during the All-Star Game on Tuesday night, a commercial aired showing Suarez walk into a diner, sit in a booth, then turn to wave to New York Yankees pitchers Max Fried and Carlos Rodón. It was enough to get conspiracy theorists drooling, as summed up perfectly in an Instagram post by the Fireside Yankees podcast.
“Eugenio Suarez waving to Max Fried and Carlos Rodon during this All-Star commercial? Hmmmmmm…,” the post read.
It’s gotten way past the point now where simple Suarez-to-the Yankees trade pitches are boring. So Pete Caldera with NorthJersey.com has a suggestion that kicks things up a notch.
In addition to the Yankees’ well-documented issues at third base, pundits have been anticipating a trade for starting pitchers since before the season even began, after Gerrit Cole was lost for the year to Tommy John surgery and Luis Gil was sidelined indefinitely with a high grade lat strain. Plus, as everybody knows, all contending teams need additional bullpen help.
Trade Proposal brings Eugenio Suarez, Merrill Kelly, Jalen Beeks to New York
In a column making Yankees predictions for the second half of the season, Caldera speculated that general manager Brian Cashman will “swing a big trade with Arizona” to address all of those needs. Caldera proposed packaging a quintet of the franchise’s top prospects – right-handed pitchers Ben Hess (No. 3 prospect), Bryce Cunningham (No. 4) and Clayton Beeter (No. 20), along with outfielder Everson Pereira (No. 12) and infielder Roc Riggio (No. 24) – for Suarez, starting pitcher Merrill Kelly and left-handed reliever Jalen Beeks.
Suarez is obviously the big name, the 33-year-old All-Star third baseman slashing .250/.320/.569 who is first in the National League with 78 RBIs and second with 31 home runs. Beeks, a 32-year-old in his seventh season, would be a nice add for a Yankees team currently carrying Tim Hill as their lone lefty out of the bullpen.
Kelly could be the unsung hero of this transaction, bringing a veteran arm to a rotation reeling from injuries. Kelly is 8-5 this season with a 3.34 ERA in 20 starts. The 36-year-old has 113 strikeouts and just 33 walks in 116 innings, boasting a WHIP of 1.05.
Not just your run-of-the-(rumor) mill swap.
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