The New York Yankees have been floated in MLB trade rumors as buyers and sellers for weeks. With Aaron Judge closing in on a return and the MLB playoff picture tightening, New York is reportedly poised to add talent at the MLB trade deadline this year.
Judge’s return is a significant development for New York. In 49 games with the AL MVP in the lineup, the Yankees are 30-19 with Judge in the lineup. When the All-Star outfielder isn’t available, New York has a 24-29 record.
Related: New York Yankees game today
Judge’s absence has also had a significant impact on the Yankees’ lineup. Since being sidelined in early June against the Los Angeles Dodgers, New York’s hitters rank last in batting average (.220), OBP (.296) and the lineup has scored the second-fewest runs (163) in baseball over that stretch.
With Judge on the verge of returning to the lineup, it appears New York has shifted its approach to the MLB trade deadline.
Related: MLB power rankings
According to Brendan Kuty of The Athletic, the Yankees are leaning towards buying this summer. Importantly, per Kuty, there are caveats. How the team performs in the weekend series against the Baltimore Orioles matters and the team’s placement in the MLB standings on Monday will also influence who New York is willing to move.
Importantly, the Yankees’ top executives don’t envision any significant trades being made that would significantly add to the payroll. New York already has one of the highest payrolls in MLB and is within $2 million of clearing the highest luxury tax line, which would result in penalties.
New York Yankees interested in trade for Randal Grichuk
Even with Judge returning to the lineup, the Yankees’ top priority is adding depth to the outfield and finding a proficient bat to improve the team’s run production. According to Kuty, Colorado Rockies outfielder Randal Grichuk is one of the Yankees’ top targets.
- Randal Grichuk stats (2023): .307/.364/.478, 38 runs scored, 113 wRC+
Grichuk, who turns 32 years old on Aug. 13, is a reasonable option for New York. Colorado won’t ask for a premium prospect in return for him because of his age and his status as a half-season rental. It immediately reduces the acquisition cost for New York, making him a viable target.
Grichuk is owed less than half of the remaining $9.333 million base salary he was owed for 2023. More than 100 games through the regular season, the Yankees would owe Grichuk less than 45 percent of that and they could ask the Rockies to include cash considerations in a trade.
New York is also reportedly interested in St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Dylan Carlson and Chicago Cubs outfielder Cody Bellinger. Carlson is under team control through 2026 and St. Louis is seeking young, controllable starting pitching in exchange for the 24-year-old outfielder.
Bellinger is another viable option for the Yankees. He’s owed less than half of his remaining $12 million salary this season and there’s a $5.5 million buyout on his mutual $12 million club option for the 2024 season. The Miami Marlins are among several teams interested in Bellinger.