Should the Yankees Trade Brett Gardner for Andrew Heaney?

The New York Yankees have made some noise this offseason  by bolstering their roster in crucial areas of need. However, they’ve done little to improve their starting rotation.

Entering the 2016 season, there will be a lot of question marks surrounding the Yankees rotation. Between injuries and consistency issues, there’s really no sure-thing in terms of starting pitchers. If the Yankees are to trade Brett Gardner, which seems likely, it would be in their best interest to trade for a young, healthy, starting pitcher with high potential.

Enter Andrew Heaney.

Heaney was called up by the Angels in June of last year, and started off phenomenally. Through his first ten games, the lefty posted a 5-1 record with a 2.43 ERA. Although struggling towards the end of the season, Heaney would finish with 18 starts under his belt with 78 strikeouts in 105 innings of work, and a respectable 3.49 ERA. 2016 will be Andrew Heaney’s first full season in the majors, and he could be poised for a breakout year.

With Aaron Judge looming ever closer to being called up, this could be the time to deal Gardner. It’s seems like Gardner has been on the trade block for a while now, and he’s a player that can definitely help other teams. Gardner could be a solid lead off hitter for the Angels, and add some much needed speed to their lineup. The Yankees, in turn, would be receiving a healthy young lefty, who would significantly improve a shaky starting rotation.

The Yankees have to be realistic with what they expect to get in return for Brett Gardner. Most teams won’t be willing to give up an established Opening Day starter or All-Star. Heaney brings youth, health, and a tremendous upside considering his affordable salary. The Yanks desperately need to improve their starting pitching, and injecting some youth into a team who had one of the oldest teams in baseball last year could do them some good.

Next: Three Bounce-Back Pitchers the Yankees Should Target

What do you think Yankee fans? Let us know in the comments below.