Yankees Rumors: McCann Talks with Astros Stalled

The New York Yankees and Houston Astros have reportedly hit a wall in their trade discussions regarding veteran catcher Brian McCann.

The likelihood of a Brian McCann trade seemed to increase dramatically during the recent General Managers’ meetings in Scottsdale, Arizona, as rumors flew that the New York Yankees had identified a likely trade partner and the Houston Astros were confirmed to have interest.

The Astros seemed to be an excellent fit for McCann in a number of ways. First, they feature a heavily right-handed lineup and are in desperate need of a quality lefty power bat to balance it out. Second, their incumbent starting catcher Jason Castro is a free agent this winter, and there doesn’t seem to have been much momentum towards bringing him back.

Houston came into the season looking like a potential powerhouse in the American League, but a disappointing collapse in the first half of 2016 has them looking to supplement their talented young core with some proven veteran reinforcements.

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In his latest column, Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports reports that the two sides are “seemingly at an impasse” in their talks regarding McCann. There have been conflicting reports about the Yankees willingness to absorb money in a McCann trade. He’s owed $34 million over the next two seasons, which isn’t exactly exorbitant, but if they are seeking a young, controllable starting pitcher in return as many reports have indicated, eating half of that salary would certainly help their case.

Rosenthal also reveals that the Astros had serious interest in adding Kenrys Morales before he signed with the Toronto Blue Jays recently. He notes that they would have slotted Morales in as their everyday DH and then platooned McCann and Evan Gattis at catcher.

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While the Astros are one of the better matches for a McCann trade, there are plenty of other clubs who could have interest if the Yankees are willing to hold out for the best offers. The Nationals, Braves, Rockies, Mets, and Orioles could all be looking for help behind the plate this offseason