Yankees: Don’t get your hopes up for trading for these 3 players

“The New York Yankees are going to make some additions at the trade deadline this year,” we say to ourselves every night into a mirror as a single tear falls.

But this time … it’s true! We think. Maybe. You know what, who knows?

Center field is such a glaring need that selling MLB teams will likely make Brian Cashman pay a Yankees tax in triplicate. After all, if you straight up forget to add depth behind the oft-injured Aaron Hicks, that’s on you. You’ll be asked to pay up.

Someone to give Brett Gardner some rest would be fantastic. A lefty bat with moderate power might just change the entire balance of the lineup. And it wouldn’t kill this team to add some starting pitching depth, considering Jordan Montgomery and Domingo German are joining Gerrit Cole at Fenway this weekend … and it’s the right call, featuring the three strongest options right now.

When you envision a successful trade deadline, though, you should probably keep the following targets out of your thoughts. Over the past few weeks, they’ve gone from reality to fantasy — and maybe a few were already dancing in the realm of the fantastic to begin with.

This is not even to mention kings of offseason speculation like Kevin Gausman and Luis Castillo. Gausman, as a few folks suspected, has leveled up this year for the Giants. Unfortunately, that “next level” has made him the second-best pitcher in baseball behind Jacob deGrom, and the Giants are the class of the NL West (we still don’t get it). He’s going nowhere.

As for Castillo? He’s 2-10 with a 5.61 ERA. The guy you all wanted to consider dangling Gleyber Torres for in the offseason no longer exists — and Torres isn’t some great shakes, either.

For now, these three trade options that were floated in April and May are the ones we’re focused on debunking. As of now, not gonna happen.

These 3 Yankees trade options won’t be happening at the MLB Trade Deadline.

3. Ketel Marte

Even before Ketel Marte recently pulled up lame (prepping for putting on the Pinstripes!), this was never going to happen.

Brian Cashman is a reasonable man — too reasonable for many of us to take. He doesn’t overpay. He sits on his prospects too long until they leak off the roster and walk to the Red Sox in the Rule 5 draft. He isn’t proactive, and that’s part of the reason this thin team has picked up free players like Rougned Odor throughout the year.

That said … you really think Cashman would survey this current landscape where the Yankees are a few games out in the Wild Card race with no indications they’re more than a fringe contender and dump 4-5 top prospects for a centerpiece?

Marte would likely be a star in the Bronx, and is absolutely someone who should be considered, but that’s a pretty massive shakeup in the middle of what feels like a lost season anyway. Everyone but Jasson Dominguez would need to be on the table, and the extra half-season of control (Marte is locked down through 2022, but his contract features team options for the next two seasons) means that even The Martian might come up in conversations.

Would we make this trade? Hell yes. Anything but Jasson. Cashman doesn’t think that way, though, and the Diamondbacks won’t be entering negotiations trying to give the Yankees a present. Won’t happen.