Yankees Top Five Priorities at the Trade Deadline

2. Acquire a Middle-of-the-Order Hitter for 2017 and Beyond

Recently, Yanks Go Yard took a look at how the Yankees 2017 lineup was likely to shake out, and the lack of a proven power bat in the middle of next year’s lineup was really shocking. Teixeira and Beltran are goners after this year, and Alex Rodriguez can no longer be counted on.

A lot of pressure will be on youngsters Gary Sanchez, Aaron Judge, and Greg Bird to drive in runs next year. If the Yankees see themselves as contenders next year, they should think about supplementing that group with someone a little bit more proven.

In the past few weeks, Yanks Go Yard has tossed around Wil Myers (here), Kyle Schwarber (here), and Jurickson Profar (here) as the type of young superstar the team should be targeting. New York could package one of their elite relief pitchers with a starter like Michael Pineda or Nathan Eovaldi, or an outfielder like Beltran or Brett Gardner to get Schwarber or Profar.

Myers is much more unlikely since San Diego would presumably want prospects in return. Other, less expensive sluggers who could be available at the deadline include Milwaukee’s Chris Carter, Minnesota’s Byung-ho Park, Chicago’s Jose Abreu, and Oakland’s Danny Valencia. They all come with at least one year of team control and, with the exceptions of Abreu, likely wouldn’t cost more than a solid prospect or two.

Maybe the most intriguing option for the Yankees might be Joey Gallo. For whatever reason, the Rangers seem unwilling to give him an extended look in the big leagues (despite potentially losing Prince Fielder for the rest of the season).

Next: Address the Long-Term Rotation Picture