MLB insider floats tempting Brewers trade package to bring Derek Jeter idolizer to Yankees

Worried about how Oswald Peraza fits into the Yankees' infield logjam for next season, despite only showing flashes with the bat in September rather than consistency? This trade package would certainly take care of the fear of giving him a starting role without proper vetting.

And, according to MLB insider Robert Murray on The Baseball Insiders, a blockbuster deal with the Milwaukee Brewers is certainly on the table this offseason for whoever pays up. Both ace righty Corbin Burnes and shortstop Willy Adames are likely to be available, as their projected salaries rise. Both stars are set to enter free agency next winter, when Burnes will be nearly 30 and Adames 29.

Murray specifically mentioned the Braves and Dodgers as teams who've tried to take a bite of this particular apple before. As a rule of thumb, the Yankees should probably insert themselves into whatever conversations those two are a part of.

Discussion began around the 23-minute mark of the show, and ended with Adames and Burnes both being available. Friday's arbitration projections only further confirmed the notion that the pair could be priced out of Milwaukee, departing a franchise in flux alongside manager Craig Counsell.

Yankees Trade Package: Willy Adames, Corbin Burnes from Brewers

How much would the Yankees have to surrender to leap the line here? Five or six top prospects would certainly be necessary, and the Brewers would probably be interested in poaching some younger studs with longer timelines from New York's eye-catching FCL roster.

A package fronted by an upper-level prospect (likely Peraza or Everson Pereira) and two upper-minors pitchers (two of Drew Thorpe/Chase Hampton/Will Warren), then polished off with Keiner Delgado, Henry Lalane and Roderick Arias should probably do the trick. If it's just Adames the Yankees are after, then maybe two of the FCL trio, plus Peraza, should push the deal across the finish line.

Burnes has plenty of bonafides, having won the 2021 NL Cy Young Award, and everyone from contenders to fringe Wild Card teams with big budgets (think: the Mets) will be beating down the Brewers' door to have a shot at acquiring him. His powerhouse fastball, boffo strikeout numbers, and past two seasons of 202 and 193.2 innings make him an ideal candidate to lengthen the Yankees' rotation.

Adames is the better culture fit, though, as evidenced by his relentless dedication to Derek Jeter. The ex-Ray wore Jeter's picture on his cleats during the 2023 Wild Card series, and borderline broke down when he was able to visit with the Captain prior to Milwaukee's game in the Bronx on Old-Timers' Day.

Despite some relative struggles this season, Adames still topped out at 3.0 bWAR and 24 homers, even though his OPS+ was stuck below league-average at 95. He's a smooth, big-bodied defender who would theoretically be comfortable at third (which might be his destiny anyway). Anthony Volpe could then stay at short, while Gleyber Torres remains at second (either in the short- or long-term). DJ LeMahieu can, of course, play both second and third on DH and rest days, holding things down for Trey Sweeney.

Adding another infielder to the Yankees' logjam actually does make more sense this offseason, considering Torres probably isn't long for this team and Peraza would probably need to be moved to Milwaukee in the deal. Everything clicked for Adames after he got out ofTropicana Field's horrific lighting in 2021, but he actually hasn't posted an above-.800 OPS since then. Maybe adding Burnes to the trade would lessen the overall risk, but Adames seems like a Yankees-loving buy low candidate who could see his game pop in the Bronx before his free agency.

If the Yanks aren't interested, the Dodgers and Braves probably will be.