Yankees: Why It’s Not Too Early To Think About The Trade Deadline

The New York Yankees’ trade deadline haul last season for a couple of relievers, and a 39-year-old outfielder with an expiring contract is the stuff of legend. It’s a flurry of trades the team couldn’t possibly repeat… could they?

Yankees General Manager Brian Cashman is already thinking about it. According to Bryan Hoch, Cashman said his 2017 trade deadline strategy could swing either way and will depend on the team’s performance.

The Yankees have enough organizational talent and depth to be a surprise contender around the All-Star break. In that case, they have a cadre of mid- and upper-level prospects to offer up for a rotation arm, an extra bat or another reliever.

The team could just as easily approach the trade deadline on the outskirts of Wild Card contention or worse. In that case, Cashman would theoretically be able to dangle Matt Holliday, CC Sabathia, Brett Gardner, Tyler Clippard and Chris Carter for EVEN MORE PROSPECTS.

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Can you imagine? This time next year, the Yankees could be preparing to go into a season with Gleyber Torres, Clint Frazier, James Kaprielian and Chance Adams on the Opening Day roster while the likes of Blake Rutherford, Justus Sheffield and whoever else Cashman adds knocking on the door.

It’s just as exciting to consider the alternate scenario. The Yankees are firing on all cylinders and are two or three games behind the division leader. Masahiro Tanaka is the American League’s All-Star Game starter and one of four players to make the team.

Cashman could decide to blow the White Sox away with a proposal for Jose Quintana (just not Gleyber, okay?). What if the White Sox lower their asking price if the Yankees take David Robertson’s contract? The Angels and Athletics also figure to have some starters and relievers that would be available this summer.

Cashman, like any level-headed fan right now, knows Spring Training probably isn’t an indication of how the regular season will go. This team is far more likely to finish around .500 than it is to win or lose 90+ games.

Yankees: Issuing A Final Plea To Trade For Jose Quintana

The Yankees, if they have any real hope of securing a spot in the 2017 Playoffs, need help in their rotation. Jose Quintana would give them a lock.

That’s why it behooves Cashman to start thinking about the trade deadline this early on. Last year, he had to build the Yankees’ farm system – and he did it masterfully. Now, he has to carefully consider how to handle all those assets. He can’t be tricked by a fool’s gold playoff run, but he can’t trade the team out of contention either.