Yankees: 4 players Brian Cashman could sell at the trade deadline

2. Gio Urshela

Look, we don’t want this to happen either. But if the Yankees want value, this is their best bet. Don’t kill the messenger, please.

Gio Urshela has been one of the most consistent Yankees since his arrival in 2019. However, the team’s plan was to keep him under club control through the 2023 season at a cost-effective price as their other big guns raked in the higher salaries. Hopefully, that would have resulted in a World Series.

But again, if the experiment isn’t working, and you’re not trading DJ LeMahieu, Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton, Aaron Hicks, Luke Voit or Gary Sánchez — all of whom are untradeable at the moment with the exception of Judge, who figures to possibly be the “face” of the franchise — why not send Urshela to a contender, let him actually enjoy himself, and acquire some top prospects or legitimate major league talent along the way?

You know what else this could do? It could move Gleyber Torres off shortstop. Shift LeMahieu to third, Gleyber back to second, keep Voit at first once he returns, and find yourself a stopgap option at short while you either prepare for someone rising in the ranks to take over or go after one of the top options in free agency when the offseason arrives. That’ll prevent LeMahieu from constantly bouncing all over the infield and would return Torres to his primary position of strength (the Yankees believe that too, not just us!).

It’s truly sad to think about because of all Gio has done as a player and role model, but the Yankees aren’t paying him once he hits free agency and he’ll be 30 in October. Urshela was an unexpected big part of this plan, but with everything else falling apart at the seams, the Yankees have a good opportunity to maximize his value should they continue to falter.