Yankees could make minor chess move to eventually pave the way for Bryce Harper

If Bryce Harper is no longer elite in the eyes of the Philadelphia Phillies' front office, the New York Yankees might happily take Harper off their hands eventually.

And a new, Harper-adjacent acquisition could help the Yankees ultimately land Bryce down the line. Again, it definitely won't be before Opening Day. It probably won't be at the trade deadline. But next year? Next year's trade deadline? It's possible.

With a report suggesting that Harper recently nudged the Phillies (in vain) to reunite with Rhys Hoskins, why shouldn't the Yankees step into the situation and snag Hoskins next offseason.

Yankees should consider signing Rhys Hoskins in a year to placate Bryce Harper

Hoskins doesn't make sense for the Yankees quite yet. Brian Cashman just inked Goldschmidt to another year of service, but 2026 promises to be Goldy's final season in the Bronx (and perhaps in his career), which sets up the Yankees to need another right-handed bat at first base in 2027.

Enter Hoskins, who will be barely 34 years old at the start of the 2027 season, far from unsavory for a Yankees franchise that just re-upped 38-year-old Goldschmidt.

Beyond the experience and good fit that Hoskins could provide the Yanks, he'd also give Harper one more reason to want to join Aaron Judge in the Bronx and force the Phillies' hand via trade (especially if they fall short in 2026).

Signing Hoskins in and of itself would help the Yankees, and in a parallel development it would be a funny way for them to roll out the proverbial red carpet for Harper, whose cryptic comments have been methodically laying the groundwork for a Yankees trade.

Harper himself is still just 33 years old, younger than most fans might expect based on how long he's seemingly been around. Given that Harper's on the same timeline as Judge, the Yankees could view Bryce as an ideal slugger to phase into the lineup once Giancarlo Stanton (36) moves on or potentially becomes less impactful these next two seasons.

Harper ending his career in pinstripes is the fate that so many Yankees fans would love to see, and Phillies POBO Dave Dombrowski has done his part to add to that destiny with his disparaging (though not entirely unfair) remarks about Harper.

All of this could change if the Phillies reach or win the World Series in 2026, with Harper playing a key role. Dombrowksi might eat his words, and Harper might ride into the sunset with Kyle Schwarber from here on out.

But if things in Philly continue to sour for Harper, a Hoskins deal would be quite a chess move for Cashman, who did show once again this past offseason that patience isn't among the virtues he lacks.