Boasting one of the best hitting trios in MLB in Juan Soto, Aaron Judge, and Giancarlo Stanton, the New York Yankees already have a strong core. But the Yankees have bigger goals than just finishing in first place of the AL East; they have their eyes set on winning their first World Series since 2009, which may mean adding even more talent to this roster.
Thankfully, the Yankees have until July 30 before MLB’s trade deadline arrives, and quite a few names could be available. But who should Yankees GM Brian Cashman chase?
The Athletic’s Jim Bowden recently took a crack at predicting which players the Bronx Bombers should have their eye on over the next two months, which focused on first and second basemen.
Bowden would like to see the Yankees target Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Pete Alonso, Yandy Diaz, Connor Joe, Paul Goldschmidt, or Josh Bell, among first basemen.
Among second basemen, here’s who Bowden believes the Yankees should pursue: Nolan Gorman, Jonathan India, and Edouard Julien.
However, despite naming several All-Stars and other complementary players, Bowden still believes the Yankees will largely stand pat at the trade deadline, trusting the roster they’ve already pieced together.
“The Yankees will monitor the right side of their infield between now and the trade deadline with hopes that both first baseman Anthony Rizzo and second baseman Gleyber Torres start producing at a higher rate. If they don’t, the Yankees will look at possible trade options. Depending on what teams fall out of the race, whether certain players sign contract extensions and other factors, impact players such as Pete Alonso or Vladimir Guerrero Jr. could become available at first base. In terms of second base, there aren’t a lot of options much better than Torres. Gorman’s power would be intriguing, especially in Yankee Stadium with the small confines of right field. I still think the Yankees are more likely to stand pat at the deadline.”
Former MLB GM Jim Bowden on New York Yankees trade targets
With the best record in baseball entering MLB games today, the Yankees are already in a very strong position if the postseason started tomorrow, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t ways to improve. We’ll see if the trade market is one of them.
Related: MLB power rankings: Where are the New York Yankees?