Yankees Rumors: The Giants are interested in Jacoby Ellsbury

Buster Olney of ESPN.com reports the Giants are interested in Yankees OF Jacoby Ellsbury. Buster speculates the Yankees could receive RHP Johnny Cueto in return.

Wow! This puts a great smile on my face. Yankees outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury may actually be traded. But does a team even have interest in acquiring him? Buster Olney of ESPN.com reports the Giants need outfield help, and they are potentially open to trading for the much-maligned lead-off hitter.

The only way this trade would happen is for a swap of bad contracts. So, the Giants would send someone like Johnny Cueto to the Bombers in return for Ells.

Cueto is owed $68 million through 2021, and has has a club option at 2022. However, he likely won’t pitch this season following his recovery from Tommy John surgery.

Ellsbury is owed $48 million through 2021 and has a club option in 2021. As Olney stated, the money between both teams would need to be evened out.

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"As SF has canvassed the market for OF help, they’ve talked about Jacoby Ellsbury, probably would be open to a bad contract swap. For example, speculation: Cueto owed $68m, coming back from TJ surgery; NYY could recoup insurance in ’19. Ellsbury owed $48m. $ would have to even out"

The downside to all this? Ellsbury has a full no-trade clause, so he must approve any deal presented. Unless Ellsbury prefers not to be further disliked by Yankee fans, it’s best that he packs his bags. It would be wonderful if Ellsbury proves unselfish and helps the Yankees out. I’d instead take a chance on Cueto, who could still be an asset once he is fully healthy.

Ellsbury missed the entire 2018 season due to multiple injuries, including surgery on August 6 to repair a torn labrum in his left hip.

Since arriving in San Francisco in 2016, Cueto has posted a 29-15 record, 3.45 ERA, 1.219 WHIP and 8.0 K/9 across 420 innings (66 starts).

In 2017, Cueto dealt with blisters on his throwing hand in his first game back after the All-Star Break, forcing him to miss 6-8 weeks. The 2018 injuries for Cueto were much more severe — first diagnosed with a right elbow sprain which was soon followed by Tommy John surgery at the beginning of August.

If an Ellsbury for Cueto trade were to go down and Cueto didn’t work out in New York, the Yanks could always exercise the club option in 2022 to end the deal for $5M instead of another $22M.

Also, if the Yankees were to rid themselves of Ellsbury, they could then swoop in and sign Bryce Harper — even if it is on a short-term contract. Wouldn’t that be interesting? Spring Training is less than two weeks away, so things better happen fast.