It’s been an ugly past few days for the New York Yankees, a team that understood heading into Opening Day that their pitching staff could be a significant issue.
Carlos Carrasco was roughed up on Tuesday, allowing four earned runs in 4 1/3 innings pitched. The Yankees’ expectation that Carrasco would be the type of arm he was made no sense, and it’ll only end poorly if it continues.Â
If the Yankees look to improve their rotation over the next few weeks to months before the trade deadline, they’ll have to hope multiple players become available. Right now, the market seems relatively quiet outside of a few arms, and unless prospects start turning around, the Yankees’ farm system isn’t exactly great.
However, Joseph Zucker of Bleacher Report proposed the idea of the Yankees potentially trading for Michael King or Dylan Cease of the San Diego Padres. He added how helpful either of them could be, but didn’t add what a package would look like.Â
“The same is true for Michael King, who has a $15 million mutual option for 2026. King was filthy in his last start, fanning 11 batters and walking just one in five innings.
“By keeping Cease in particular through Opening Day, San Diego showed it’s aiming for the postseason, and an 8-2 start justifies that belief. Should the Padres fortunes take a turn, the Yankees could seemingly try to re-open negotiations over Cease or pursue a reunion with King,” Zucker wrote.
How King or Cease Would Help
If the New York Yankees were to get a deal done for either of the right-handers, there’s reason to believe they could be one of the better teams in Major League Baseball again.
However, until they add another ace-caliber starter, there will be questions about whether they’re contenders.
Dylan Backer of Empire Sports Media spoke about how both could potentially benefit the Yankees, adding that King could be a trade candidate due to his familiarity with the Yankees organization.Â
“The Yankees already have a lot of money attached to their starting pitchers, which may prevent them from pursuing King or Cease in the open market. Cole is making $36 million per season, Max Fried signed a contract worth $218 million this past offseason, and Carlos Rodón is still under a six-year, $162 million deal.
“However, given Coleâs injury this season, the Yankees would only need an option that will get them through this season. King could be a strong option to pursue in the trade market given his familiarity with the organization and sparkling pitch arsenal, and he would provide them with a true frontline arm to pitch alongside Fried in the rotation,” Backer wrote.
Is King Available?
The New York Yankees will be in the market for a starter, but again, it’ll come down to who’s available. If either San Diego Padres ace is on the market, the expectation is for the Yankees to pursue them.
However, it remains uncertain if the Padres would trade either player, putting the Yankees in a tough scenario as the season continues.Â
“But sources familiar with their internal deliberations say it would happen only if it makes the Padres significantly better in at least one of the three spots at which they appear to have deficiencies offensively,” wrote San Diego Union-Tribune’s Kevin Acee. “Designated hitter, catcher and left field.”
“The Padres are in cost-cutting mode and may be looking to move Cease and his $13.25 million salary as he heads into his walk year,” he wrote.
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