Yankees Top Five Priorities at the Trade Deadline

5. Make a Splash!

The best thing that general manager Brian Cashman could do at the August 1st trade deadline is make a move that gets fans excited about their team again, whether it’s this year or next. The franchise has been playing the waiting game since the Core Four retired.

Ownership wants to get some of their big contracts off the books and get under the luxury tax before making any big moves, but they don’t have to spend a ton of money to shake things up. They just have to act boldly and creatively. When’s the last time Cashman pulled the trigger on a big blockbuster with another club?

Another Ackley trade or even a Kimbrel deal isn’t going to cut it. The Yankees have been one of the most boring organizations in the league for over a year now, and that needs to end. That could mean swinging a trade for a big name superstar, or packaging their own veteran assets for a blue chip exciting top prospect.

Obviously this is easier said than done. Cashman has a plan for the Yankees and has been steadfast in sticking to it. That’s certainly better than emptying the farm system for rentals every summer like they used to do. But the fact remains that New York is very likely to miss the playoffs for the third time in four years in 2016.

Next: Projecting the 2017 New York Yankees Lineup

If the club was clearly rebuilding, it would be much more excusable, but this is one of the league’s oldest teams every year. It’s time to for the Yankees to take action, not just sit on the fence once again.