I thought it would be nice to give the trade deadline its own thread.
With the Jazz Chisholm trade in the books, I think Cashman has basically four areas he will still consider, with only two of them MUSTS.
1. Acquire at least one reliever, preferably someone who could close. Clay Holmes just can’t be the closer anymore. Even if he succeeds for a few weeks, how could you ever trust the guy? Just let him go back to being an excellent setup guy. And hell, if he pitches so well that he forces the issue, then you can let him close again, but have someone out there who could take the job without it being an insult to Holmes (you know, you can’t pick up, like, Jalen Beeks and make him the closer
2. Acquire a second reliever
Those are the two must-haves, I think
Then you get into the two interesting categories…
3. Pick up a first baseman so good that Ben Rice would obviously never play over him. The Yankees seem to be kicking the tires on something like that with Yandy Diaz. He would definitely make the team a whole lot better. He’d slide right into the leadoff spot, and he would offer an entirely different look than most Yankee hitters, as he is more of a contact guy than a power dude. He hits for average, but he hits really well for average. He’s having an off year, but he has been improving.
4. Pick up a starting pitcher so good that you have to drop someone from the rotation. There’s talk of the Yankees getting Jack Flaherty. He would qualify for that. So would Garret Crochet, and heck, he will only pitch in October for a team that will sign him long term, and the Yankees are already cool with giving long term contracts to former White Sox pitchers with injury concerns, so that shouldn’t scare the Yankees off. The price tag might, though.
Oh, of course, “A hitter to play third base who is better than DJ and Waldo” was a top priority before this, but Cashman already accomplished that with Jazz Chisholm, so I didn’t mention that.
So…yeah, we shall see what Cashman gets up to. Hopefully it is a good day!
“Previous:
The Athletic: Anthony Rizzo has arm fracture, likely out at least 4-6 weeks”
?
That was, indeed, a previous bit of Yankees news.
Very previous!
Does JD Davis count as Cash’s first big acquisition?
Just throw out a lot of names in case one is correct.
https://x.com/riveraveblues/status/1818329055361650750?s=61&t=fhOaqwtc8q2TMSXUDRjPeg
Passan Trade news: The New York Yankees and Chicago Cubs are in agreement on a trade that will send right-handed reliever Mark Leiter Jr. to the Yankees and infielder Ben Cowles and right-handed reliever Jack Neely to the Cubs, sources tell me and @kileymcd.
Like, why even?
He strikes guys out. Never had a low reliever type ERA FWIW, 33 years old, lot of injury history. Seems like a high walk rate 3.3/9 which is worse than Holmes. Neely had great numbers at Scranton 0.93 era, 63k/41.2 ip.
https://x.com/the_calluppod/status/1818337704717041728?s=61&t=fhOaqwtc8q2TMSXUDRjPeg
I like Leiter well enough for #2 on the list. Clearly, they didn’t think Neely was for real. I can’t say one way or the other if they’re right.
Leither under team control for two more seasons after this one, and he has a FIP in the low 2s.
Please don’t.
Too late.
…
Relying on Magic (c), are we?
Mark leiter is a pitcher…but can someone tell me why this helps? I guess he strikes out guys. And hasn’t allowed many HRs the last 2 years…
And best of all he’s a Leiter! And a veteran which is always better than a young player.
More importantly they signed Brett Phillips as a pitcher
Hahaha awesome. See, now THAT is worth taking a flyer on.
He’s an upgrade as long as Nelly doesn’t turn out to be ‘good’ which I guess the Yankees don’t think is the case.
Basically agreed, but it’s also a matter of timing. Leiter being good in 2024 is more valuable than Neely being good in 2025, especially since Leiter is under team control through 2026.
Caleb Ferguson gone
If that’s true, then THAT is the first unquestionably good move of the season.
As for the rest – I wouldn’t give assets away for slight, incremental upgrades.
I assume the Ferguson deal was to clear a roster spot for Leiter.
Leiter has good reverse splits so he can do anything Ferguson could.
Some teams interested in Vertigo. Erceg to KC.
Mark Canha not in lineup
Neely and Cowles both rule 5 eligible absent unlikely promotion to 40-man, the Athletic said somewhere.
Leiter can be devastating when he’s on, more so to lefthanders.
Meanwhile the white sox let Eric Fedde and his 2+ war and 2025 control go for a pile of magic beans. That could have been the starter right there.
Fuck, Cole scratched for “general body fatigue.” What the fuck does THAT mean?!
COVID maybe?
Worrying.
How many innings will International Draft Signing Space pitch in the playoffs in 2024? Could be a good deal for the Yankees.
Will Warren to get the spot start.
General body fatigue could explain Cole’s recent shitty start.
Oh good! Gerrit Cole scratched for tonight’s start with general body fatigue. Will Warren will start #yankees
I think the Yankees are higher on Rice as a dependable lefty 1B who is cheaper and controlled than they could get out of any other team. He won’t be Paul Goldschmidt, but as Brian posted in the game thread, Rice as a #7 or 8 hitter is a luxury.
Wells is also gonna be the front line starter at C for a long time, I think. Dominguez coming up to play LF for the rest of the season will make Verdugo expendable.
Ben Rice went to Dartmouth so he will need to be retained at all costs.
The Yankees have a strong history with Ivy League first basemen. The average production from those guys is a HOFer.
They should be able to get rid of Verdugo if Dominguez is actually ready to play.
Kind of surprised that Verdugo has never played 1B. LIke not even one game there MLB or even MiLB
Wasn’t he initially a cf prospect?
Something bad seems to happen to a major player for every powerhouse series, doesn’t it?
Warren has been better in July. It’d be more comforting if it were 4 great starts instead of 3 and a stinker, but it is what it is.
On a separate note, I have general body fatigue all the time…and if Boone wanted to hand me the ball, I’d be in Philadelphia ASAP and ready to try my luck. I got it up to 70 MPH on the speed gun at the Asheville Tourists game, so I assume with proper warmups, I could still sit high 70s, low 80s
Scott to the Marlins
Padres
Duh. Of course.
A Verdugo (L) LF
J Soto (L) RF
A Judge (R) DH
A Wells (L) C
J Chisholm Jr. (L) 3B
G Torres (R) 2B
B Rice (L) 1B
A Volpe (R) SS
T Grisham (L) CF
IKF to the Pirates.
If they could, I’d like to take a chance on Crochet.
supposedly teams are asking about vertigo.
i’d be fine with putting martian in left immediately and letting grisham spot everyone except for a small part of me that worries about the vibes.
but winning usually makes the vibes really good.
Jasson needs to stay healthy. Two injuries in less than a year doesn’t inspire confidence.
O’s get Eloy Jimenez.
Flaherty to Dodgers. Another one bites the dust.
Meh. He went to the O’s in 2023 and was awful.
So out of Brian’s 4 things, they managed to get more or less #2.
The Padres are trading reliever Enyel De Los Santos to the Yankees, reports Chris Kirschner of the Athletic (X link).
4.46 era, 5.36 FIP he was pretty good in 22,23 though he sucked before then.
Just looked him up. Doesn’t look very good.
Astros get Caleb Ferguson.
https://x.com/Buster_ESPN/status/1818361982422335973
If anything could help the Yankees finally beat the Astros in the postseason, this deal is it.
Bosox get Luis Garcia.
I guess the Chisholm trade was kinda big, but the Yankees deadline seems pretty underwhelming
Kevin Kiermaier to the Dodgers.
Soto to the Orioles.
https://x.com/JimSalisbury215/status/1818410291874742758
Dammit, my time-sensitive post is awaiting moderation!
I mean, it’s a fact. The source is cited!
Sorry, it needs to be said:
Soto to the Orioles.
Twice in one day!
https://x.com/JimSalisbury215/status/1818410291874742758
and
https://x.com/m_sheldon/status/1818412185779134851
Rays acquire JD Davis, per MLB trade rumors.
Clay Holmes – postseason closer.
I’d say put him on whatever Clemens was on, but for a sinkerballer that’s probably a bad idea.