Yankees letting Blue Jays command trade talks with Reds would be a mistake

Surprise, surprise. The Blue Jays are trying to spoil yet another potential Yankees plan.

When we got wind of the Cincinnati Reds reportedly listening to trade offers for star pitcher Luis Castillo, it was assumed the New York Yankees should at least inquire given their need for another impact arm in the starting rotation.

The price will likely be steep (and arguably prohibitive), but it’s one that the Yankees can afford to pay if they really feel Castillo is the No. 2 guy that can help carry the pitching staff behind Gerrit Cole. Then again, the Reds would have to be blown away by an offer and would reportedly prefer if one of their expensive position players could be included in the deal.

But if that wasn’t enough of an obstacle, now the Toronto Blue Jays — yup, again! — have weaseled their way into yet another high-profile rumor. According to MLB insider Jon Morosi, the Jays could be among the top trade partners for the Reds given their needs all over the roster.

Really? First Francisco Lindor, then DJ LeMahieu and all the other free agent rumors? Who do the Blue Jays think they are? The Yankees’ best opportunity to bolster their starting rotation could be in a trade with the Reds and Toronto is apparently, according to the latest buzz, jumping in to try and upstage the whole thing.

And when you think about it, they could be a better fit because they need a third baseman and could easily absorb Eugenio Suarez’s contract in a deal for Castillo. That would round out their infield and give them a tremendous 1-2 punch atop the rotation with Castillo and Hyun-jin Ryu.

Can we just get these guys out of our lives already?

The Blue Jays’ reported involvement could certainly be legitimate, but the other possibility is that they’re trying to drive up free agent/trade price for the Yankees, which is another smart strategy to put their division rivals in a tough situation.

But if the Yankees let them command these talks with the Reds, it could derail their best option to build a championship-contending rotation. Here we are again, and it’s clear general manager Brian Cashman needs to be proactive rather than reactive. Don’t let the Blue Jays dictate what’s going to happen.

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