4 out-of-nowhere trade targets Yankees’ Brian Cashman can surprise fans with

3. OF Mike Yastrzemski

Need a lefty slugging outfielder who can play center field? Well, thank the Los Angeles Dodgers for beating the Giants four straight times over the weekend, because San Francisco might be sellers ahead of the Aug. 2 deadline.

Perhaps outfielder Mike Yastrzemski could interest the Yankees? Though he’s under control through the 2025 season, the grandson of Red Sox Hall of Famer Carl Yastrzemski will already be entering his age-32 season in 2023. With the Giants seemingly in shambles after a 107-win 2021 season, they might need to begin selling in order to make room for the next wave of young talent.

Well, their farm system is actually quite bad … so maybe they need an infusion of more young talent. Yastrzemski is a rock solid player who won’t be moving the needle for SF for the next 2-3 years, so they might as well cash in on his club control and begin moving on to the next era of Giants baseball.

This is a nice fit for the Bombers because Yastrzemski works walks and slugs extra-base hits … even though right now would be a career-low OPS (.738) for him. Then again, his 106 OPS+ is above average and he’s producing a hell of a lot more than Gallo. With the ability to play all three outfield spots (he has a positive career dWAR and a combined 20 Defensive Runs Saved at all three positions since 2019), he’d be incredibly valuable in regard to what the Yankees are trying to accomplish.

Throw in some surprise power (65 bombs in his first 385 career games) and a penchant for pulling the ball, and he could make all the difference as Gallo’s potential replacement.