New York Yankees Trade Rumors: Could Jeff Samardzija Be A Target?

By Jason Evans | Jun 25, 2015

Ivan Nova returned to the New York Yankees rotation yesterday. While that is all well and good, how much can they exactly rely on him? Coming off Tommy John surgery you never know what kind of performance you’re going to get. CC Sabathia has been struggling. Nathan Eovaldi is up and down. Adam Warren is pitching well, however, because of his bullpen experience, he’ll probably be going there.

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We’ve heard about the names like Johnny Cueto and Mike Leake if the Reds ever sell. How about another possible target thrown out by NY Post’s Joel Sherman.

"If I were making an educated guess — and that is all it is — the White Sox’s Jeff Samardzija is as likely to continue to titillate the Yankees as anyone. He was drafted to the Cubs by one of Brian Cashman’s current top lieutenants, Jim Hendry. The righty is a free agent after the season, and Chicago (nine games under .500) is among the majors’ most disappointing teams and could look to sell."

Samardzija is 5-4 with a 4.53 ERA in 15 starts. He’s given up 118 hits in 101 innings. He’s struck out just 84, but has a 3.69 FIP.

The Yankees have spent a long time building up the farm system, and with all the supporting rookies they’ve called up so far this year, have seen a little bit of the fruits of that labor with some more guys coming. Would they be willing to dip into it to get a guy like Samardzija?

Even when the Yankees upgraded last year, they did so at a low cost (well except Peter O’Brien). Samardzija will be a bit more expensive, even though he is a free agent. The Yankees will do something, but the connection he has with Hendry is something to pay attention to.

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