Yankees reliever trade smoke is pointing toward one obvious target as deadline nears

On the surface, with all context stripped, the New York Yankees chasing a Colorado Rockies reliever with a 4.00+ ERA won't light anyone's fire. It doesn't take too deep a dive to realize how valuable Jake Bird could be to the Yankees' operation in 2025 and beyond, though, and the latest encouraging rumors about the team's pursuit dropped Sunday night.

While there's still a world where the Yankees explore the doomsday scenario of trading free agents Luke Weaver and Devin Williams, that urge symbolizes their oncoming issue. The bullpen is already a mess, and its two best chips are both hitting the open market this offseason. If the Yankees don't take action, they'll start free agency in 2026 with their two best "shutdown" bullpen arms being ... 36-year-old Fernando Cruz and Tim Hill (team option).

Even if you're not a believer in the 2025 Yankees as viable World Series contenders — we hear you, we get it — they need an infusion of arms to even make it through the season, and controllable relievers will help clarify next year's quest before it starts.

Bird, an emotional powerhouse who can induce swing-and-miss and whose 3.09 FIP indicates there's clearly more below the hood here, would be tied to the Yankees through 2028 if they acquired him. If they can get out of the conversation without paying an unreasonable premium — maybe a one-for-one, like Hayden Wesneski for Scott Effross? — they should certainly pull the trigger after being linked plainly to Bird on Sunday night.

Yankees tied to Colorado Rockies' Jake Bird in trade deadline rumor mill

The main issue, of course, is that this whole thing is a paradox. The 2025 Yankees aren't playing well enough for them to sell their most valuable assets this summer. But the 2025 Yankees aren't giving up on 2026. Any trade additions they do make should come with control for next year as well, such as Ryan McMahon. But the prices are much higher on pitchers with control, forcing the Yankees to ... explore selling their most valuable assets.

Bird might just land somewhere in between. If he gets too expensive, though, the Yankees will have to pivot, and might need to bite on a rental. After all, whether you believe in them wholeheartedly or not, you won't want to watch this bullpen lose even more steam down the stretch. They won't survive it, and viewers might not, either.