Yankees Trade Deadline Predictions: NYY deals 2 veterans, adds outfield power

Randy Vásquez/Will Warren/Antonio Gomez to St. Louis Cardinals for Dylan Carlson/Gio Gallegos

Too much smoke here to rule out the Yankees and Cardinals coming together to exchange upper-minors pitching for a switch-hitting outfielder. Tack on the bullpen help in Gallegos, a former Yankee farmhand originally included in the Luke Voit trade, and you have an interesting proposal with enough heft on both sides.

Trading too much prospect capital in exchange for Carlson, a falling star, is a worrisome ask. But Michael Fishman, Brian Cashman and Co. can't resist an Aaron Hicks-esque player with top prospect pedigree who's struggling to figure things out at the big-league level. Add in Carlson's switch-hitting capabilities and the position he plays, and it's no wonder the Yankees (and briefly the Orioles) have been the only teams really connected to him this summer.

There's no mincing words: Carlson's 86 OPS+ this season is abhorrent. There's a good chance he never realizes his athletic potential and becomes another middling post-hype bat rather than a sleeper to be saved. But it was just one year ago that he was at the center of the Juan Soto trade talks. If the Yankees could get him in exchange for two 40-man spots -- I mean, young pitchers -- they'd do it in a heartbeat and move into savior mode.

Again, these are predictions. Not desires. Would you really be shocked if a struggling Carlson was Cashman's biggest long-term get?