Yankees Rumors: Brett Gardner to Orioles a Possibility

New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman confirmed Thursday that he was open to the possibility of trading Brett Gardner to a division rival like the Baltimore Orioles, who are rumored to have interest.

When Jon Heyman first reported that the Baltimore Orioles could be a fit as a trade partner for New York Yankees left fielder Brett Gardner, it seemed like a stretch to think that the team would be willing to deal one of their longest-tenured homegrown stars within the division.

Asked about the rumor on Thursday at the Winter Meetings by Pete Caldera of the Bergen County Record, however, Cashman responded cryptically, “If I can trade with the Red Sox and Mets, I can trade with the Orioles.”

While he refused to confirm whether the Orioles front office had inquired about Gardner specifically, Cashman did not dismiss the possibility of dealing his left fielder within the division. It’s probably a long shot that the deal gets done, but considering that the Yankees are rumored to be having trouble finding the right deal, they may need to get creative if they are committed to moving Gardner.

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As Bryan Hoch of MLB.com points out, New York and Baltimore haven’t completed a trade since 2012, when the Yankees shipped Steve Pearce out of town for cash considerations right before he broke out as one of the American League’s most underrated sluggers. Hoch does note that Baltimore was in talks to acquire Ivan Nova at last year’s trade deadline as well.

What the Pearce and Nova trade discussions have in common though is that both would have very little impact on the race in the American League, whereas Gardner has been a three to four win player each of the past four seasons for the Yankees. He won a Gold Glove this year and was elected to the All Star squad in 2015. He’s not a spare part.

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If the Orioles are willing to pony up a useful starter or an enticing package of prospects for Gardner, New York should consider it, but if the front office is going to deal him within the division, they absolutely need to get a strong return. This can’t be anything resembling a salary dump.