5 trade targets the New York Yankees should obviously pursue this summer

1 of 5

The New York Yankees haven't won a World Series since 2009, so the pressure will continually mount in the Bronx until a change in fortune. With all the year over year changes, 2023 is once again shaping up to be "the year" for the Bombers.

Brian Cashman is entering his 25th season as the Yankees' general manager and is not one to be shy to make a trade. Whether it was Roger Clemens, Alex Rodriguez, Randy Johnson or even as recently as Giancarlo Stanton, Cashman has always had an eye for talent as well as an aggression to get deals done.

Despite acquiring those marquee names, he hasn't acquired a future Hall of Famer via trade or in free agency in awhile. The most recent addition that would fit that category would be Gerrit Cole, but that was back in 2019.

This is the New York Yankees we're talking about. This team should be bringing in future Hall-of-Famer's every single offseason or at least near the trade deadline because that's what the Bronx Bombers are all about. Money should never be an issue and acquiring the best talent should be number-one priority, especially for an organization that hasn't won the World Series in 14 years.

With this current roster, the Yankees still may not good enough to win a World Series this year. They might not even be the favorites to win the AL East, as the Toronto Blue Jays will be just as competitive. And let's not forget they'll have to go through the Astros in the postseason.

As a result, the organization should make a blockbuster trade this summer to put the roster over the top.

5 obvious trade targets for the New York Yankees this summer

Shohei Ohtani, P/DH

Is there a better fit to wear pinstripes than Shohei Ohtani?

In terms of superstar talent, Ohtani is a unicorn and the modern day Babe Ruth, so why wouldn't he have a shot at eventually became a member of the Yankees? You shouldn't be able to compete for the Cy Young Award and home run crowd in the same season, but that's Ohtani's game and he's someone that every fanbase would love to have.

If it wasn't for Aaron Judge's record-breaking season last year, Ohtani would have won his second consecutive AL MVP award, and he should once again be favored for the award this year. The pending free agent should be asking for the biggest contract in baseball history and the Yankees should get in front of the negotiation rights by trading for him this summer.

Ohtani would help upgrade the team's offense, but his best attribute would be his pitching, as the Yankees could still improve that part of the roster following a multitude of injuries in Spring Training. This will cost the Yankees a haul, but it would make them the best team in MLB by far.

Cedric Mullins

The Yankees may have their starting center fielder in Harrison Bader, but his recent Spring Training injury could make the Yankees eager to make a move.

Even if Bader comes back healthy, the Yankees need to upgrade the left field position, as Aaron Hicks is on a short leash. Mullins, who finished ninth in AL MVP voting in 2021, could be a great replacement for Hicks or Bader, depending on how Aaron Boone wants his outfield to look.

In 2021, Mullins showed some pop with 31 home runs, but only had 59 RBI, thanks to his terrible team (and the fact he hit leadoff). He was easily the best player on the Baltimore Orioles that season and his great play didn't get rewarded statistically since the rest of the lineup was a black hole.

Baltimore is trending in the right direction, but they didn't make any significant moves in free agency or via trade to supplement their wave of young talent heading into 2023. Although they may hate to trade with a division rival, New York could offer the best prospect package in return (and they made a blockbuster deal for Zack Britton just a few years ago).

Alexis Diaz

Imagine having both of the Diaz brothers in New York? Nobody's entrance is as fun as Edwin Diaz's, but maybe if his brother joined the Yankees, the team would try to one-up their crosstown foes and do something viral with him as well.

Diaz is currently set to be the closer for the Cincinnati Reds this year, and the Yankees have made moves with the Reds for a closer before. Aroldis Chapman was throwing gas in Cincinnati, striking-out everyone in sight, but the team moved on from him and maybe they could do the same with Diaz since they're once again miles out of contention.

The right-handed reliever only has one year of MLB experience under his belt thus far, but he's set up for a spectacular sophomore season.

It won't be cheap to acquire him if he pitches like he did in 2022, but the Yankees can use a closer or setup man to stablize the back end of their bullpen. Who knows if the Reds would be even willing to move on from him, but as a rebuilding franchise, trading Diaz could help fill the prospect cupboard.

Travis d'Arnaud

Jose Trevino is set to be the starting catcher for the Yankees this year, but he's still a question-mark and the team could use a veteran to compete with him.

d'Arnaud is a 10-year veteran and represented the Altanta Braves at the All-Star Game last season. Although the Yankees shouldn't expect him to play every night, d'Arnaud could be a welcome addition to the organization because he'd elevate the catching position in the Bronx (and also help out big time at DH from time to time).

You're not expecting him to play every night, but it would be a good fit for the team down the stretch. You can use the first half of the season to evaluate the Trevino-Kyle Higashioka combo and then decide if this position group is in more dire need of an upgrade than elsewhere on the roster.

Since the Yankees don't know what to expect from Trevino (his lone productive offensive season was last year) and with Higgy's offensive game seemingly on the downswing, the worst-case scenario here could force the Yankees' hand.

Max Kepler

Kepler plays right field, but there's a certain player named Aaron Judge who will be holding down that position this year and for the next decade. However, fortunately for Yankees fans, there's another outfielder named Aaron, who this team would love to move on from.

Aaron Hicks is not a fan-favorite and the team and fans would love to find an upgrade. Max Kepler could be that player as the lefty slugger would really benefit from playing in Yankee Stadium every night.

He had a breakthrough season with 36 home runs and 90 RBI in 2019, and although he hasn't quite found that same form over the past few years, there's no doubt the potential remains. At 6-foot-4, 225 pounds, he's a powerful player who could benefit from a stacked Yankees lineup around him.

Kepler has a club option for the 2024 season, so the Minnesota Twins could control him for another two years, but they may be more inclined to trade him now to get as much value as possible. They seem hopeful with the additions of Joey Gallo and Michael Taylor in the offseason. There's also Trevor Larnach, who's angling for more playing time. After two disappointing seasons, you could be buying low on Kepler right now, as it wouldn't be shocking to see him have another bounce-back year this season (unless the Twins will hold their ground and sell high after his performance in Spring Training).

Home / Yankees Rumors