Yankees Considering Offers on a Number of Veterans

Although the Yankees haven’t committed to selling at the August 1st trade deadline, they are “prepared to take offers” on a number of veteran players according to ESPN.com’s Buster Olney.

While ownership is reportedly opposed to the New York Yankees holding a firesale at the upcoming trade deadline, rival evaluators have told Buster Olney of ESPN.com that team officials have made it known they are willing to listen to offers on a number of their veteran players.

Rumors have been swirling around the Yankees highly sought after late inning relievers Aroldis Chapman and Andrew Miller for the last month. Impending free agents Carlos Beltran, Ivan Nova, and Mark Texieira have also been speculated to be potential trade chips if the Yankees fall far enough out of the standings.

Olney adds a few less obvious names to the rumor mill, however, listing outfielder Brett Gardner, catcher Brian McCann, and starting pitchers Nathan Eovaldi and Michael Pineda as players who could be made available by the Yankees over the next month.

Hearing Gardner’s name come up in trade speculation is not a surprise after the team openly shopped him all winter. With Aaron Hicks, Ben Gamel, Jake Cave, Rob Refsnyder, and Aaron Judge all looking more or less big league ready, the team has plenty of internal outfield options to replace Gardner if he is dealt.

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Eovaldi and Pineda have failed to take the next step forward many expected from them in 2016, instead struggling with inconsistency in the first half. Both pitchers possess ERAs over 5.00 despite their obvious talent. Each comes with one remaining year of control after this season, so the Yankees will need to decide whether they are building blocks for the rotation or trade bait over the next month.

The fact that the Yankees are willing to discuss trading Brian McCann is a new tidbit. Young catchers Gary Sanchez and Kyle Higashioka have both impressed with Triple-A Scranton Wilkes-Barre, which makes moving Mac more palatable. Austin Romine has been fine as the backup, but the highly-touted Sanchez would presumably be the heir apparent in the event of a trade.

It will be interesting to see if the Yankees would need to eat money in the event of a McCann trade, or if the move would partially a salary dump to help the team in their efforts to get under the luxury tax.

Next: Yankees Midseason Report Card: Bullpen

To be clear, none of these moves are imminent. The Yankees still haven’t committed to selling at the August 1st deadline, and the fact that they are listening to offers doesn’t mean they will. However, it is interesting to hear a few new names on the roster being discussed.