3 Yankees trade deadline targets you’re probably not thinking about

While every Yankees fan is rightly focused on upgrading the Joey Gallo spot with either Andrew Benintendi or Ian Happ — no one else will do — there are plenty more areas on the current roster that could use a little sprucing up.

Though it’s hard to believe a team that entered July with a 12.5-game lead, one of the largest in the sport’s history at that fencepost, could improve much, that’s actually not the case. This historically great Yanks team is also somehow not that close to maxing out, and leaves a five-game stretch with Houston shaking their heads wondering if their offense can match the pitching.

Is that fair? Partly yes, partly no. No fan should be leaving that battle feeling hopeless about the team with the best record under all circumstances this season (when trailing, against over-.500 teams, etc.). However, the offense showed up in a few dramatic sequences over the five-game span, but didn’t show much consistency and was nearly no-hit twice. In a short playoff series, that’s less than ideal, no matter how many games Aaron Judge stole.

The pitching must be solidified, with both potential innings-eaters for the rotation (best-case Luis Castillo, worst-case Merrill Kelly) and bullpen options (David Robertson, anyone?). The offensive concerns are more top-of-mind, though; anyone who’s watched this team on a daily basis knows changes are almost certainly coming in the outfield.

Beyond the names that have been discussed ad nauseam, these three potential options seem to have flown under the radar entirely, but could be both perfect fits and very available.

And yes, there are a few Yankees rivals involved.

3 Yankees trade deadline targets no one is mentioning for 2022

3. Old Friend Brandon Drury

Remember Brandon Drury? The power-hitting infielder for whom the Yankees went out on a limb in a multi-player deal, only to eventually learn he was having undiagnosed vision issues?

Drury was as tough-to-watch as they came in 2018, wrapping up an 18-game stint with a .176 average and a single home run before he was shipped to Toronto with Billy McKinney for JA Happ in a rapid wave of the white flag. The third baseman was as invisible in Yankee pinstripes as the baseball was to him during his Yankee tenure.

But now? After bouncing around between the Jays and Mets, the now-29-year-old Drury has found an equilibrium in Cincinnati, after putting together a secretly effective season off the bench in Queens last year, too. Drury is hitting .274/.332/.532 with 16 homers and a 127 OPS+, and has an outside shot at being named the Reds’ All-Star Game representative in the weeks to come.

Whether the Yankees attempt to acquire him or not likely depends on how far Josh Donaldson’s slide goes in the coming weeks, if he’s even able to stay healthy long enough to provide us with enough of a data set. Drury’s a right-handed hitter, but he’s also logged time in the outfield throughout his career, and can aid with bench versatility as well if Donaldson remains active (or begins to clear a very low bar for offensive production).

A Drury addition wouldn’t rock the boat spectacularly or cost too much. If the Yankees do decide to be extremely proactive and upgrade at third base (or, at least, behind Donaldson), he’d be an excellent fit.

1. Joey Wendle

He’ll annoy you much less if he’s on your own team!

As Isiah Kiner-Falefa gets deeper and deeper into the season, he’s begun to agitate some forward-thinking fans more and more. After all, his role isn’t as a run producer, but rather as a hard-nosed “gamer”. Some diehards approach that situation and say, “Why…exactly would we employ someone who intentionally does not produce runs?”

IKF is an interesting case. He’s a “stopgap” who’s probably better suited to a utility role. He makes consistent contact, which occasionally results in hard liners, but typically results in rollovers to short. His defense is solid and sometimes special, but there have been plenty of high-profile clunkers mixed in, too. The power may never come; he enters July homerless, with only 11 doubles to his name.

The Yankees are probably planning to roll with him moving forward…but if not…why not trade for a “gamer” who does all the little things and some of the big things? Specifically, eternal thorn-in-their-side Joey Wendle, no longer on the Rays and resting on the Miami Marlins’ IL since late May.

When healthy this season, Wendle produced sans-batting gloves, hitting .284 with a .340 OBP and 114 OPS+, clearing IKF’s bar significantly. He’s basically a DJ LeMahieu clone who can also play shortstop (LeMahieu’s fatal flaw!), and would fall into a nice rotation with Kiner-Falefa that could eventually send Marwin Gonzalez to the outfield more often and Matt Carpenter potentially packing.

If acquired, the Yankees will be able to put their trust in Wendle at multiple positions — and it’s not like he doesn’t have postseason expertise. If the goal is to grate your opponent like sandpaper, Wendle could certainly help, and shouldn’t cost much.

3 former Yankees players NY should consider acquiring at trade deadline

The New York Yankees are going to have to consider reuniting with these 3 former players at the 2022 MLB Trade Deadline in Aug.