Yankees: Trade targets they could pursue before next month's deadline

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Yankees GM Brian Cashman has been one of the best in baseball. Wheeling and dealing, and not being afraid of pulling the trigger on the big move. While his history with blockbuster moves have had split results, his record with under-the-radar and overlooked deals has been superb.

In this piece, I will suggest a few moves the Yankees could make that might not be headline-worthy but ones that could really help them during the second half of the season.

1. Tanner Roark, SP, Cincinnati Reds, UFA 2020

The Reds 2019 season was full of hype. With the expected arrival of top prospect Nick Senzel, the trades that brought over two starting pitchers, Roark from the Nationals and “He-Whose-Name-Shall-Not-Be-Mentioned” (A.K.A Sonny Gray) from the Yankees and the Lord of Hype himself, Yasiel Puig.

Unfortunately for Cincy, the NL Central is stacked. With the Brewers, Cubs, and Cardinals all with legitimate playoff caliber lineups, the Reds are going to have a tough time making the playoffs even though they enter play today 3.5 games out with a 41-44 record.

As for Roark, it wasn’t long ago when he was one of the National League’s best starters after he pitched to a 2.83 ERA in 33 games during the 2016 season. Since then his numbers have declined but in his first year with the Reds he’s been solid going 5-6 with a 3.51 ERA and 92 K’s in 92.1 IP.

How he fits: If there was one position of concern going into this season for the Yankees, it was their starting pitching. As has been well documented, the Yankees are in need of SP depth. Happ hasn’t been himself, Paxton has struggled since his return off the IL, German has an innings limit, and Severino has been having setback after setback (and may not even play this season).

Depth at that position is always important. This does not exclude you from pursuing a top of the rotation arm, as Roark has pitched out of the bullpen, and he can be your long reliever. Additionally, you likely won’t have to give Cincinnati too much for him since he will walk after this season.

(Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) /

Shane Greene

The former Yankee is having a career year. With a 0.87 ERA and 22 saves, Greene has been great for the Tigers. But the Tigers themselves haven’t been great. Their record is 27-52 which is good for a winning percentage of .342. In comparison, Jeff McNeil gets a hit more often than the Tigers win…

Greene still has another year of control after this one and will be an Unrestricted Free Agent in 2021.

How he fits: You can never have enough relievers. The Yankees are in the top 10 in Bullpen Innings Pitched and 3rd in K/9. The more K’s, the more pitches thrown. In contrast, the Yankees are 26th in the league in Starting Pitchers Innings Pitched. While the Yankees have not quite lived up to the “Greatest of All Time” designation which they were labeled with, they are still having a very good year, and are 3rd in WAR.

But as the season goes on and the relievers throw more pitches, the bullpen will grow increasingly weary, and while the Yankees are anticipating the long-delayed arrival of big reliever, Dellin Betances, the time table is shaky at best, and we don’t know what he will be when he returns.

(Photo by Jennifer Stewart/Getty Images) /

David Peralta

One of the most underrated players in baseball, Peralta quietly has a .292 career batting average and hits about 17 home runs a year. Peralta, who won a Silver Slugger award last year, is one of the best players to never be an All-Star.

After trading away one of the premier first basemen in the league in Paul Goldschmidt and losing CF A.J Pollack, the Diamondbacks have been playing around .500 since the beginning of the season. By trading Peralta, they would be making a statement that they are officially in rebuild, and that move is always the hardest for a club.

Sean Doolittle

One of the wackiest pre-pitch rituals belongs to National’s closer, Sean Doolittle. While that might be what he is best known for, Doolittle has actually been one of the best relievers in the game. Since 2017, he has the 6th highest WAR for a reliever.

As has been their modus operandi, the Nationals season has so far been a disappointment. With three legitimate aces on their staff and a young core of position players, this team has not been able to deliver. The 32-year-old Doolittle had a terrific ‘18 season and has had a decent ‘19 so far. Considering the depth of their division and their under-performance so far, I would not be surprised if the Nats decided to go younger and trade in their older ‘model’ for a new one.

How he fits: The same way Shane Greene does; you can never have enough relievers, especially when they are former closers. The two-time All-Star has been elite the past two seasons, and if the Yankees are willing to deal one of their mid-tier pitching prospects and a low-ceiling bat, they may be able to acquire this zany southpaw.

However, the Yankees should be wary as his Flyball rate is around 50%, which is about 15% higher than the Major League average. Considering that he would be pitching in the Bronx with the short porch, that is a big deal.

Could the Yankees pursue a trade for Zack Wheeler?. dark. Next

Please write in the comments which of the four you think the Yankees should go after!

If there is a player that you think should be listed, feel free to let me know in the comments section!

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Yankees: Under the radar trade targets they could pursue before the deadline