Prior to their recent struggles against the Red Sox, Orioles, Braves, Mets, and Blue Jays, the New York Yankees were considered one of the very best teams in MLB. But they’ve lost 10 of their past 13 games, and now suddenly look like a team that could use some help ahead of the July 30 MLB trade deadline.
Despite no longer being in first place of the AL East, the Yankees are still in an envious position, but they can’t afford to risk falling further behind their division rivals. This could prompt Yankees GM Brian Cashman to make a roster move sooner than later.
One potential possibility MLB insider Jon Heyman recently mentioned was bringing back former Yankees infielder Gio Urshela, who’s now on a Tigers team that faces long odds of reaching the playoffs.
Urshela may not move the needle for most, but the Yankees need all the help they can get after Anthony Rizzo’s injury diagnosis has him set to miss approximately the next two months. Urshela can also help handle third base duties, as he’s done for 47 games in Detroit this season.
Yet Urshela’s production is no longer nearly at the same level as it was during his three-year stint in New York from 2019 to 2021, when he had an OPS+ of 119.
- Gio Urshela stats (2024): .253/.292/.322/.614, 2 HR, 20 RBI, OPS+ 74
However, if the Yankees are looking for a short-term replacement without giving up a valuable prospect, turning to a player like Urshela could make some sense, as Heyman noted. Playing on a one-year deal for a reasonable rate of $1.5 million, Urshela would be a very low-cost acquisition for the Yankees.
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