4 players the Yankees should sell and 3 they should keep at trade deadline

Over the last few years, the New York Yankees have gone into the trade deadline as surefire buyers. This year, though, with the Bombers at 55-51 -- 10.5 games back of the AL East lead and 3.5 games back of the third Wild Card spot -- it’s unclear what direction Brian Cashman and the front office will go.

While a 3.5-game deficit in the Wild Card race is reasonable to make up, this year’s trade deadline is a seller’s market. Because the postseason is well within reach, the Yankees want to be competitive in 2024, and the trade market is favoring those looking to offload talent, the opportunity to retool rather than straight up sell or buy is in the Yankees’ best interest.

At the very least, they can part with players they don't plan on keeping beyond 2023 and get something of value or shed payroll. Why wouldn't they do that? On the other hand, they could have a shot at salvaging 2023 with a couple of roster adjustments. Maybe some new faces can reinvigorate th

Here are four players that should be traded and three players who should be held onto to give the Yankees a chance to compete in 2023 and beyond.

Anthony Rizzo

Rizzo has been the worst position player in MLB since the start of June. In 44 games across the last two months, Rizzo has a 44 wRC+ and -0.8 fWAR – the worst among all qualified hitters. Despite his struggles, Rizzo should draw plenty of interest if he’s available because of his track record, and almost all contenders would be interested in adding a quality left-handed bat.

While Rizzo has been good during his time in pinstripes, trading him would be addition by subtraction. The biggest reason for this is Jake Bauers’ emergence. Bauers’ 116 wRC+ is the second-best on the Yankees (min 150 PAs), but the Yankees have stuck him in the outfield, where he’s putrid. By getting Bauers back to his natural position, the Yankees will improve defensively in the outfield (currently 19/30 in outfield OAA) and receive better production at the plate than what Rizzo is giving them.

Verdict: Trade

Potential fits: Minnesota Twins, Chicago Cubs, Miami Marlins

Gleyber Torres

Throughout his career, Gleyber Torres has been a controversial subject as it pertains to his polarizing play. After a stellar first two seasons in the majors, Torres moved to shortstop full-time for two seasons and couldn’t play defense or hit like he had in the past. In 2022, Torres moved back to second base where he’s played solid defense, and his bat has picked back up (112 wRC+).

While teams around the league, most notably the Miami Marlins, have expressed interest in Torres, it’s in the Yankees' best interest to keep him in the Bronx. Trading their 26-year-old middle infielder, who projections believe will play even better down the stretch, doesn’t seem like a good idea for the Yankees this season or in 2024.

Verdict: Keep

Harrison Bader

Harrison Bader has had his moments as a Yankee, but at the end of the day, he struggles to stay healthy, doesn’t have a high offensive ceiling, and is a free agent after the season. Although Bader doesn’t provide much offensively, he hits for a high enough average and has enough power to be an above average offensive contributor when everything goes his way. Additionally, Bader plays a great center field, something that should attract many teams.

While trading Bader complicates things defensively, it’s the right thing to do if the Yankees don’t think they’re going to extend him – which would be a risky investment considering his injury history. If Bader can net the Yankees an intriguing prospect or two, it should be something they pursue instead of giving him a contract they might regret in a few years (or let him walk for nothing).

Verdict: Trade

Potential fits: Arizona Diamondbacks, Cleveland Guardians, Philadelphia Phillies

Isaiah Kiner-Falefa

Isaiah Kiner-Falefa had a horrible start to the season, but since May he’s quietly been very good at the plate – his 114 wRC+ is the second-best on the Yankees behind Bauers in that time span (min 150 PAs).

While many people around baseball ridiculed the Yankees for turning Kiner-Falefa into a utility player instead of getting rid of him, he can now play six positions (and be an emergency catcher), and if he’s hitting like he's been, it’s an easy way to get him into the lineup (or at the very least be a valuable depth piece).

Verdict: Keep

Domingo Germán

Domingo Germán has had his moments as a Yankee, but now is probably the best time to acquire some assets for him. He's under contract through 2024 and doesn’t project to be a mainstay in the Yankees’ future rotation, so exploring a trade in this seller’s market with numerous teams looking for pitching makes sense.

Although Germán has a 4.77 ERA, his 4.04 xFIP, 3.93 SIERA and 33.5% chase rate are encouraging, and could prompt a contending team to see him as a contributor down the stretch. If that’s the case, the Yankees will likely net an intriguing prospect, who may have a chance to be part of the team's future, unlike Germán, who would likely be, at best, a back-end rotation arm through 2024.

Verdict: Trade