5 Yankees most likely to be dealt at the trade deadline

Luis Severino

Luis Severino is the biggest-ticket item on this watchlist. His 2023 salary counts against the luxury tax for $12.25 million after the Yankees picked up his option for the season. He's rewarded their faith by scuffling in spring training, hitting the IL just before the campaign began, and returning without most of his fastball's trademark hop.

His past two starts entering Sunday's game have looked closer to fine, but on the season, he's subtracted nearly a win from the Yankees while maintaining a 1.730 WHIP and striking out less than a batter per inning. That should ... never happen from someone who regularly pumps 99 when healthy (he's also been sitting 95-96 on occasion, somehow losing his mechanics midstream).

With Nestor Cortes Jr. on the road to recovery, one of Severino, Clarke Schmidt and Domingo Germán will ideally be out of a rotation spot in the coming weeks. If some team dared to take a chance on capturing the best of Severino in August and September, and was also willing to take on enough of his salary to make it all make sense, the Yankees would surely wave the white flag on this brutal option year, despite recent strides. If they have to attach a big-ticket prospect to get it done, though -- or absorb all the money -- expect New York's braintrust to ride it out and try to sell a different starter instead.