The New York Yankees are once again at the forefront of Major League Baseball’s trade deadline. They have slipped out of first place in the American League East, and numerous injuries to their rotation have led to a desperate need for starting pitchers.
With about 12 games to go before the July 31st deadline, we will likely see the Yankees make some additions to their pitching staff, and maybe the left side of the infield. Southpaws Max Fried and Carlos Rodon highlight the top two in the rotation, and that’s as good of a 1-2 lefty punch in a rotation as there is in baseball, but New York lacks a true dominant right-hander. Marcus Stroman has dealt with injuries all season, and Luis Gil has yet to throw an inning this season. This has led the Yankees to rely on youngsters Will Warren and Cam Schittler, who are pretty unproven.
Yankees Acquire Merrill Kelly in Blockbuster Deal
It has been reported that the Arizona Diamondbacks may take the route of being sellers over the next few weeks. With all of their productive assets, teams like the New York Yankees are hoping to pounce on what they have and pull off a couple of blockbuster moves. In this trade idea, the Yankees land the Diamondbacks’ ace Merrill Kelly. Kelly has certainly pitched like Arizona’s ace this season, with Zac Gallen struggling, and Corbin Burnes being lost for the season with Tommy John Surgery.
Kelly has posted a 3.34 ERA over 20 starts and 116 innings this season. He’s a proven guy that can take the ball every fifth day and provide a quality start, something that the Yankees need out of a righty. His WHIP is barely over 1.000, and his BB/9 is 2.6. He has also proven himself as a big-time playoff pitcher when the Diamondbacks made a run to the World Series. The Yankees are essentially World Series or bust, as they always are, and they are expected to go all-in at this deadline. Kelly is set to be a free agent after this season, but New York could consider extending him if they pull off the huge trade.
Return Package for Arizona
The Arizona Diamondbacks are certainly going to be looking for a good return for one of their best starting pitchers, but the fact that he could be a rental does drive down the asking price just a bit. A good return package for Arizona would be starter Cam Schittler, outfield prospect Everson Pereira, and Ben Rice. It certainly seems like a big haul for a guy who may just be a rental, but again, Kelly is one of the best starters on the market, and Arizona would ask for a lot of insurance, which is why this is a three-player deal. Pereira is a top-15 prospect, and Schittler has had a couple of starts at the big league level. It may not take Rice to get the deal done, but he’s struggled at the plate since his hot start.
Over the next 10-12 days, we will have a better idea of what both teams will do, but expect the New York Yankees to make a big splash in the starting pitcher market.
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