Trade Rumors: Is Asdrubal Cabrera A Good Fit For The Yankees?

The New York Yankees are beginning to trend in the wrong direction. After winning 7 of their first 8 coming out of the All-Star Break, the Bombers dropped two crucial games to division rival Toronto, and then opened up their six-game road trip with another disappointing loss. The July 31st non-waiver trading deadline is quickly approaching, and the Yankees still have holes to fill. As the week opened up, it’s been pretty quiet on the trade front across all of baseball.

Over the past two weeks, Yankees’ GM Brian Cashman addressed two pressing needs for his squad, as they attempt to close the gap of 4 1/2 games on division-leading Baltimore. He traded Vidal Nuno for Brandon McCarthy, and he sent Yangervis Solarte and Rafael De Paula to San Diego for Chase Headley and some cash. Both players have had an immediate impact since arriving in the Bronx.

Now it’s time to address another pressing need. Pitching and offense still are issues, but the middle infield, and an upgrade at second base should be something the Yankees are looking at. For whatever reason, Cashman doesn’t feel that prospects Rob Refsnyder nor Jose Pirela are the answers he is looking for. Outside the organization, his eyes should be looking at Cleveland for Asdrubal Cabrera.

Derek Jeter is 40, this we know. Brian Roberts is, well, Brian Roberts. The Yankees need an upgrade in the middle infield, along with a bat that can help drive in runs. Asdrubal Cabrera addresses all of those issues. He’s currently hitting .249 with 9 home runs and 49 runs driven in for an inconsistent, and quickly fading out of contention Indians’ team. Cabrera is a free agent at the end of the season. A trade for the 28-year-old could serve, much like Chase Headley, as an audition for both the player and the team, to see how they can handle playing in New York, and for the team to see if they have interest in resigning the player this coming off-season.

What else makes Asdrubal Cabrera an interesting player to think about for the Yankees? He has experience at both second base and shortstop. He has served primarily as the Indians’ shortstop since 2009, but has 162 career games played at second base. He’s a player who is just now entering his prime, and has fresher legs than Roberts, and a much better bat. If the Yankees want to strengthen their roster this week, and weaken an opponent in the Blue Jays, they need to press Cleveland into dealing Asdrubal Cabrera before he finds himself north of the border, and the Yankees left talking to themselves again.