Yankees Rumors: Offers for Fulmer and Archer rejected

Not widely broadcast over the holiday break, the Yankees reportedly had trade offers for Michael Fulmer of the Tigers and Chris Archer of the Rays turned down in succession.

It’s not every day that a potential Yankees trade goes unnoticed, but we are still recovering from the Christmas holiday. According to Bill Brink of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, the Bombers had not one, but two recent trade offers rejected.

The first one, which we have substantially more information on, involved the Yankees sending Clint Frazier, Tyler Wade and No. 9 prospect Thairo Estrada to the Tigers for starting pitcher Michael Fulmer.

Fulmer, 24, comes with five years of club control, however surgery to repair the ulnar nerve in his right elbow last September could be a precursor to future troubles.

While I’m not surprised that Tigers’ general manager Al Avila said no, I for one feel the package of prospects offered to Detroit is an excellent baseline to at least begin negotiations.

Frazier is a top 50 prospect that has yet to scratch the surface of his talent, Wade is a superb defender capable of playing everywhere on the diamond except pitcher and catcher, and Estrada is the best all-around middle infielder in the farm system not named Gleyber Torres.

More from Yanks Go Yard

• Yankees’ Marwin González replaces Red Sox LF in Japan in logical next step
• Blue Jays overpaying for Yankees trade target shows they’re trying too hard
• Aaron Judge’s influence on Carlos Rodón shows he’s more powerful than Yankees
• Yankees sign 2022 Red Sox reliever, invite him to spring training
• Yankees trade Lucas Luetge for 2 intriguing Braves prospects after DFA

If the Tigers are holding out hope that Brian Cashman will eventually relent and include Torres, Estevan Florial or Justus Sheffield in the deal, then it’ll be a cold day in you know what before that happens. Joel Sherman recently reported the trio is untouchable.

One assumes that the Yankees offered a similar package of solid, if not excellent, young talent to the Rays for 29-year-old starter Chris Archer.

Trading within the same division is always tricky, but after shedding the salary of longtime face of the franchise, Evan Longoria, the Rays are looking at a lengthy rebuild.

Signed through 2019 for $13.75 million total, with club options for 2020 ($9 million) and ’21 ($11 million), Archer would be an affordable (in price alone) veteran pickup for the Yanks. Just so long as the stench of losing for so many years in Tampa doesn’t travel with him to the Bronx.

Don’t be surprised if both of these down-trodden clubs try juicing the Yanks for all they’re worth — potentially inquiring about third baseman Miguel Andujar, as well pitchers Chance Adams and Albert Abreu.

Though it never hurts to ask, the Yanks showed the rest of the baseball world they won’t give in to ludicrous demands, which is exactly what the Pirates made when they insisted upon Gleyber Torres being added to the deal for Gerrit Cole.

Next: Get to know the Yanks' new third-base coach

If you don’t believe my accusation to be true, well, then, you must be a Pirates fan.