Were Yankees in on Tyler Glasnow trade after pitcher elaborates on Dodgers deal?

Earlier in the offseason, New York Yankees fans were growing increasingly frustrated with the team when rumors surfaced about Manuel Margot trade rumors. The oft-injured outfielder was due $12 million in 2024 and didn't fill a need for the Bombers, yet they were reportedly interested in a deal.

In the end, Brian Cashman traded for Juan Soto, Alex Verdugo and Trent Grisham to fill his outfield needs. Weeks later, Margot was packaged with pitcher Tyler Glasnow in a deal that sent the pair to the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Is it possible the Yankees' reported "interest" in Margot was part of their alleged pursuit of Glasnow? The Yankees have been exploring the trade market for pitching and Glasnow was linked to them but never verified.

It's not farfetched, however, to think the two sides kept that part of the deal quiet in order to limit fan outrage and unnecessary hoopla on social media. The Rays aren't the Red Sox, but everyone saw how the Verdugo rumors created a toxic environment.

After the Dodgers made their deal with the Rays, it was obvious that taking on Margot's salary was something the Rays wanted them to do. They took on a lesser package to offload a totak of $36 million in payroll commitments for 2024.

Were Yankees in on Tyler Glasnow trade after pitcher elaborates on Dodgers deal?

One might think the Rays trading Glasnow to the Yankees would be crazy, but is it that crazy? In a recent appearance on Foul Territory, Glasnow mentioned the "New York teams" may have been involved in his pursuit when the trade discussions were swirling.

In the end, what would the Rays have been losing? They'd be burdening the Yankees with two frequently injured players at escalated prices and would be getting back young talent in return. Neither Glasnow nor Margot significantly improve a team's chance of winning the World Series. They're not necessarily impact acquisitions.

Glasnow has the talent, yes, but he's only pitched more than 100 innings in a single season twice in his career, with 120 being his ceiling so far (and that came in 2023). He has the makeup of an ace, but he's not available enough to carry that title.

The Rays were probably very much confident taking the risk that this trade wouldn't have made the Yankees that much better while also giving them the ability to swipe some young talent from New York's promising farm system.

It all makes a bit more sense now after connecting the dots thanks to Glasnow's revelation this week. And now that the right-hander is making more money on a yearly basis than Carlos Rodón, it's safe to say fans are glad this wasn't among the Yankees' marquee moves of the offseason.