Yankees could reunite with former pitcher after unexpected Dodgers DFA

A lot of the New York Yankees trade deadline chatter surrounds starting pitching even though they badly need offense. Perhaps what happened on Monday could help shift their focus with just over a week left before deals must cease.

The Los Angeles Dodgers shockingly designated former Yankees pitcher James Paxton for assignment with Tyler Glasnow and Clayton Kershaw nearing their returns. LA signed Paxton for $7 million in the offseason and it was a genuine surprise that he was outright kicked to the curb.

The left-hander hasn't been dominating, but he's remained healthy and has put forth plenty of serviceable outings. He's 8-2 with a 4.43 ERA, 4.97 FIP and 1.46 WHIP in 18 starts (89 1/3 innings), which is shaping up to be his largest workload since 2019 in New York.

Though the Yanks don't exactly need starters, they might be looking at some sort of a shakeup. Nestor Cortes has only gotten worse and doesn't look like he'd come close to earning a playoff start should New York reach the postseason. It doesn't feel like he'd be able to perform out of the bullpen, either. Luis Gil's workload has come into question, even as he's improved. Clarke Schmidt is returning, but the long layoff could adversely affect him.

So instead of the Yankees wasting all their assets on a Tarik Skubal or Garrett Crochet — assuming they're both available — why not snag Paxton and another lower-cost pitcher and make a splash for a bat? It's not everyday these opportunities present themselves right before the deadline.

If Paxton eventually has to go to the bullpen, then so be it. The Yankees could use another multi-inning relief option. Additionally, Paxton's contract incentives have maxed out thanks to his work in the rotation, so there wouldn't be any ill will if he had to transition to the 'pen later in the year.

Though the veteran lefty wasn't the greatest in the Bronx, he's a battle-tested veteran and has experience playing on the biggest stage. His 2019 campaign with New York was very good, and his tenure was only frustrating because of his inability to stay healthy.

Now that he's on pace to throw the most he has in five years, this could be a smart addition for the Yankees to improve their depth and flexibility. Even if they end up keeping Cortes, pairing him with Paxton at the back end of the rotation or as a long reliever really can't hurt. The Yankees' pitching staff is hobbling and needs all the help and experience it can get.

Forget about the "what could have been" with Paxton if he reached his peak powers while he was in New York from 2019-2020. He's still hanging around at 35 years old and could perhaps use some tweaks from pitching coach Matt Blake to improve his peripheral metrics.

We've seen worse gambles by this front office, and this one might be even more worthwhile because it's a move that otherwise never would've been on their radar had the Dodgers not experienced a tough roster crunch.