Yankees Rumors: Brian Cashman's trade deadline surprise could help NYY avoid poor fit

The New York Yankees are thought to be eyeing upgrades to their middle infield situation. Anthony Volpe might quietly be getting phased out. Jose Caballero has made it clear that he's better served in a utility role, and there have been rumblings that the Yankees could look to deal the enigmatic Jazz Chisholm Jr.

Shipping out underperforming players is one thing, but who New York could bring in to replace them is the question. At shortstop, a fan favorite has been CJ Abrams of the Washington Nationals. The folks over at The Athletic believe that the Yankees could pull off a deal for the slugging shortstop.

Meanwhile, at the keystone, insiders have often linked the Yankees to Luis Arráez of the San Francisco Giants. Fans have clamored for the three-time batting champ to revitalize the offense, given the struggles and high strikeout numbers in Aaron Judge's absence.

The problem is that these two targets have some pretty glaring red flags. For example, Abrams has been one of the best hitters, regardless of position, in the National League, but his defense at shortstop has been truly abysmal.

Arráez has typically been a butcher in the field, though miraculously he's become a positive presence with the glove this season. With the Giants, he's had the benefit of working with noted infield guru Ron Washington. Whether or not he can keep up his transformation without Washington by his side is a question.

The bigger question, though, is whether or not he can sustain his offense. Arráez is a one-trick pony, slapping singles while rarely walking and producing little power to speak of. Therefore, he needs to maintain an astonishingly high batting average to be successful. This year, he's posted one of the biggest gaps between his actual stats and his expected numbers than ever before, which could predict a pretty hard regression at some point.

So, where can Brian Cashman turn? It seems that he could target a pair of Miami Marlins middle infielders, Otto Lopez and Xavier Edwards.

Yankees going back to a familiar well in the Marlins to land Otto Lopez, Xavier Edwards would be brilliant

The Yankees and Marlins have done business several times before, with the last time of great consequence being the deadline deal that brought Jazz Chisholm Jr. to the Bronx. It shouldn't be a surprise, then, if Cashman goes back to a familiar partner to get the help he needs.

A hot June had the perennial sellers in Miami actually looking like deadline buyers, but as the calendar turned to July, things haven't been as kind. The Marlins sustained an epic 12-game losing streak that has them firmly back in the familiar position of selling off assets.

Lopez would be a game-changer for the Yankees. The 27-year-old has posted six outs above average and four defensive runs saved, showcasing a stellar glove at shortstop. At the plate, his .328 batting average leads the National League as of July 26, edging Arráez by one point. His .490 SLG and .168 ISO show that he isn't one dimensional, too.

Meanwhile, Edwards isn't quite as dynamic, but he's a roughly average defender at second, and his .289/.369/.402 line would add much-needed contact, while his 11.7% walk rate proves that he can get on base multiple ways, making him a diversified threat.

Neither would come cheap as they're both under team control through 2029, but they're about to hit arbitration, which will make them more expensive. For the Marlins, saving money is always the ultimate goal, so a deal is always possible. The pair would provide competent two-way solutions that the Yankees could really need, while adding the contact focus the club desires.

Cashman would be wise to do his best to try to land one, if not both, of these ascending young players and address these positions of need without gutting the farm system chasing high-priced options like Abrams.

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