Yankees saw their deadline trade targets perform well

With the All-Star Game out of the way, the Yankees can now set their sights fully on the trade deadline. Luckily for them, some of the rumored targets were featured in the game for their analysis.

The Yankees see Brad Hand, Yonder Alonso, and Justin Bour as having one thing in common; they’ve all been rumored targets of the team. It’s doubtful all three of these men are going to be in Pinstripes, but perhaps one or two of them will. Regardless, Yankees fans have now seen what each of these players bring to the table.

The Case for Bour

Bour hit 22 home runs in the Home Run Derby. Remarkable, until Judge upstaged him with 23 (24 if you count the roof shot). Even though he was outperformed, he still showed he’s having a great year and was selected for a reason.

He has a lot of power, something so desperately needed from a first base hitter. The Yankees signed Carter for this exact reason until they realized he’d swing at clear air if it were thrown at him. Ji-Man Choi has done well in his brief debut, but he’s only a short-term solution.

It’s true that pitching is what the Yankees need most, but it wouldn’t hurt to have another power hitter. First base has become almost a necessity with the revolving door that has occurred there. The problem with Bour, of course, is at his price tag. If the Marlins value him high enough, it can end up costing the Yankees a good prospect. I see this as no reason to be frugal.

He’s hit 20 home runs, so he is worth something, even on a terrible Marlins team. If Bour can help you make the playoffs and continues to contribute beyond 2017, he’s worth it. Obviously, he’s not worth a top prospect, but if it’s a mid-level prospect and a throw-in that’s not too much to ask. Especially, if the Yankees organization still see this team in the playoffs.

The Case for Alonso

Yonder Alonso, another player having a career year, also has 20 home runs. The Yankees may benefit from the A’s being in more of a fire-sale mode than with Miami. Oakland is 21 games behind the Astros, and they’ll be looking to move big names again. If Sonny Gray goes, anyone on that team can go as well.

Alonso might have a high value placed on him as well, though. The A’s want to maximize his value as best as they can, and they might ask for good prospects.

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I would say a buyer beware warning comes with this as well; he may never hit like this again. Luckily, he is a free agent at the end of this year, so that contract isn’t a blight as well as only being worth $4 million. The problem happens with giving up prospects.

If you give a valuable prospect up and he stops contributing the rest of the season, it isn’t worth it. And if he doesn’t re-sign, that’s a bad move as well. Still, the Yankees need help at first base, and Alonso can certainly help, so it seems. And, to top it off, he’s on a cheap deal and will probably cost you less than Bour who has the same amount of home runs.

The Case for Hand

The Yankees’ pitching problems are no secret. They have about two reliable starters and the rest, including their “ace,” have disappointed. A strong suit coming out of Spring Training was their bullpen, who have also disappointed. For the past couple of weeks, Betances has blown games and struggled which is not what you want from an All-Star reliever.

Clippard, someone I was very high on early in the season, has also struggled severely. And Chapman has been nothing short of a disappoint since returning to the Yankees with a 3.48 ERA. Yes, it’s crystal clear that the Yankees need to do something with both their starting and relieving pitching. This is where Brad Hand comes in.

Like the previous two rumored players, Hand is also having a career-year. He has a 2.30 ERA, his lowest ever, and was also named to the All-Star team. Unfortunately for him, he’s been rotting away in San Diego and likely needs a change of scenery.

The Yankees, on the other…hand, need a change of scenery in their bullpen. The addition of a guy like Hand would certainly get the bullpen back on the right track. Since the starters have heavily pressured the pen to play more innings, adding another arm would certainly lift some of this pressure.

It’s difficult to assume what the Padres want for him, but I expect at least a decent prospect for an All-Star pitcher. Regardless, the Yankees would be wise to trade for him since pitching is where they need the most help at. And, Hand would be a great addition to the bullpen that so desperately needs help.

Takeaways from the All-Star Game

Yonder got a hit, Brad pitched a good inning, and Justin hit 22 home runs. Needless to say, the Yankees’ targets put on a pretty good showing in this year’s All-Star series. It’s hard to predict what the Yankees will do come July 31, but it may be wise to pick one or two of these guys. Personally, if they’re not overly-priced, I would take Bour and Hand. Bour is yet another power hitter that can contribute further to the Yankees’ already strong offense.

And the Yankees would get a guy that can help them at their weakest position besides pitching. Alonso would be a smart backup plan, maybe even a better choice in the long run.

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Trading for Hand is a no-brainer. The Yankees need all the pitching help they can get to be playoff-bound and adding a good arm having a strong year is a wise choice. Don’t hold me to it, but I would not be surprised to see any of these players in pinstripes past July 31.

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