Yankees' perfect trade deadline target just emphatically made his own argument

The New York Yankees' rotation, which was supposed to be capped by Gerrit Cole, has held its own nicely in recent weeks after trimming both Carlos Carrasco (DFA) and Marcus Stroman (injury), while absorbing a turnaround from Will Warren. Carlos Rodón and Max Fried have been devastatingly good atop the five-man unit. Clarke Schmidt has steadily improved, while Ryan Yarbrough has been a throwback godsend. Someday, perhaps, Luis Gil will join as well, though his throwing program continues to be kicked down the line.

Still, Rodón and Fried could really use a right-handed co-ace, and that's what the trade deadline is for. As if the Yankees' ideal target wasn't already obvious prior to Thursday's series finale with the Texas Rangers, Nathan Eovaldi emphatically rubber-stamped himself as the man for the job, zipping his trademark heaters and all but begging for an overdue Yankees reunion.

Eovaldi, who found a little bit of his swagger in New York in 2015, then changed everything post-Tommy John with the 2018 Boston Red Sox, continued his engagement with the Rangers this past offseason, and the Alvin, TX native has been every bit of himself. As expected, he blitzed through the Yankees (in a 1-0 loss) last Thursday, his sixth straight start allowing one earned run or fewer.

The Rangers may be an AL West — and, hell, an American League — contender by end of season, but right now, their offense is still mired in the mud. In fact, it was so bad that they managed to get Aaron Boone's brother hired. Given their rotation talent, what if ... the Yankees tried to overwhelm them and pick up the hefty-ish cost of Eovaldi's remaining contract if Texas remains dead offensively as the deadline approaches?

Yankees trade deadline target (fingers crossed) Nathan Eovaldi effortlessly shoved against everyone except Jorbit Vivas

The only issue here is that the Rangers, as a trade partner, aren't lacking for pitching prospects; four of their Top 10 on MLB Pipeline — plus the unmentioned Jack Leiter — are power righties. The Yankees intentionally built up their pitching reserves in last year's draft, then brought in Elmer Rodriguez-Cruz in the Carlos Narvaez trade. They're overflowing in that department, but don't have quite as enticing options offensively. Maybe they Rangers would be interested in some lefty variance, like Yankees pitchers Brock Selvidge or Griffin Herring?

Eovaldi is signed at $25 million for each of the next two years, so while the Yankees would be relieving a financial burden, the Rangers' ask won't be flimsy here. They'll need to be impressed in order to cut bait on the final 2.5 years of someone they clearly believe in and continue to return to. The Yankees don't have a single lefty prospect with high enough upside to lead a package. Would Spencer Jones, Everson Pereira, and a lefty be enough?

Eovaldi still strikes out fewer batters than he probably should, given his powerhouse stuff. He's 35 years old, so the next two seasons could get uglier. But, at this moment in time, he's the horse you'd choose to complement what the Yankees already have. It's a shame this process won't be easier.