Yankees: Trade Deadline Targets for NYY During Shortened 2020 Season

1. Marcus Stroman

Marcus Stroman probably wants to be a Yankee, let’s be honest.

It’s certainly possible the New York Mets will be in World Series contention, especially during a significantly shortened campaign, but, come on. We’re talking about the Mets here. They can also just as easily go 0-60. It’s ludicrous enough that the fans in Queens consider the Yankees to be their rivals (they’re in different leagues and only once — the 2000 World Series — has one had a direct impact on the other’s season). Oh, and most importantly: the Yankees are good and the Mets are bad. This couldn’t be further from a rivalry. So let’s end this “the Mets will never make a trade with the Yankees” garbage in 2020. If they get off to a start in which they dig themselves into an insurmountable hole, general manager Brodie Van Wagenen would be a fool not to trade assets that are about to hit free agency, and Marcus Stroman is the No. 1 suspect here. Acquired last season in a trade that was supposed to prop this team up in 2020 alongside the duo of Jacob deGrom and Noah Syndergaard (who’s out for the year), Stroman is a fiery competitor perfect for the Yankees rotation. The fact of the matter is that the Yanks do need one more starter if they want that length and durability heading into the postseason, because Luis Severino is out for the year and we don’t know what to expect from Domingo German when he returns. Throw Stroman in the mix with Gerrit Cole, Masahiro Tanaka and James Paxton, and that’s a legitimate rotation that can get past the Houston Astros. If Van Wagenen, in the midst of a horrible start to the 2020 season, turns down a deal for Stroman that includes a top prospect — which the Mets desperately need after decimating their own farm system — he might as well start packing his bags.