Yankees: Which starting pitcher could they acquire before the trade deadline?

Notable Mentions

This season, there are few solid to star level starting pitchers who are currently in their contract year and/or close to the end of their contracts with poorly performing teams. That being said, I believe the aforementioned players are the best options for the Yankees considered the state of the Yankees and the League itself.

However, if willing to take a chance, in hopes striking gold on an overlooked player, the Yankees could show interest in Trevor Cahill, Ervin Santana, and Garrett Richards.

Cahill, owed $1.5 million this year than entering free agency this coming offseason, is a 30-year-old who currently sits on the 10-day DL with the Oakland Athletics.

Besides his above par pitching this year, Cahill has the ability to pitch in relief, which could be of value to the Yankees if they wish to keep some of their present starters at the Major League level.

The risk involved is that Cahill hasn’t pitched over 100 innings in a single season since 2014. This is due to both injuries and more relief appearances rather than starting.

As for Santana, the risk is solely injury. Recovering from right middle finger surgery back in February, Santana isn’t expected to return until July at the earliest.

Therefore, Santana’s most recent and accurate stats are from last season. But those stats were pretty darn good. Coming off an All-Star year, just his second All-Star appearance, the first almost a decade earlier (2008), Santana is a reliable older arm who could be a useful final piece to the Yankees puzzle.

And in the last guaranteed year of his contract, next season is a club option so the choice of Santana’s return would be in the Yankees’ hands. The downside is his comparatively hefty salary of $13.5 million ($14 for 2019).

The last pitcher I will touch upon is Garrett Richards. A 30-year-old starter for the Los Angeles Angels who is also currently on the DL (10-day), Richards has pitched well thus far. With a 3.42 ERA in 68.1 innings, he is right around his career average of 3.52.

The risk with Richards is his health. Having not pitched a full season since 2015, Richards continually finds himself on the DL.

Another contract year starter, Richards is going to make $7.3 for 2018; easily accommodable by the Yankees.

All three of these teams should lean toward a sellers mindset come the end of July. The Angels are in third place in the AL West and without Shohei Ohtani for some time. The Twins are also in third with a below .500 record and the Athletics are in fourth right behind the Angels.