The New York Yankees have arguably hit the lowest point that they’ve hit over the last few seasons. In a shortened COVID 2020 baseball season, the Yankees have lost an astonishing seven consecutive games.
A seven game losing streak in a 60 game season equals out to about a 19 game losing streak in a regular 162 game season. The Yankees have lost Aaron Judge, Gleyber Torres, DJ LeMahieu, Giancarlo Stanton, James Paxton, Tommy Kahnle, Zack Britton, and others due to injuries during the year.
Aroldis Chapman didn’t start the year with the team due to COVID and Luis Severino was lost before the season started due to Tommy John. Last year’s 18 game winner for the Yankees, Domingo German, is missing the entire year due to suspension.
A year that was supposed to have the Yankees as a clear front runner to win their 28th world championship has seen the team take unprecedented hits. One of the only bright spots for the team has been their $324 million man Gerrit Cole.
The Yankees signed Cole in the off season to a record deal hoping he’d be the piece to push them over the top. He’s done his part despite a poor performance in his last start. Cole is 4-1 with a 3.51 ERA while striking out 11.6 batters per nine in seven starts.
Luke Voit has bounced back from last season’s injuries to be tremendous. However, Gary Sanchez has been a dumpster fire since the season started. That might be an insult to dumpster fires to be honest. The Yankees’ catcher is hitting .130 and his defense has regressed.
Heat turning up on Yankees GM
All this is to say that there is a ton of pressure on the shoulders of the Yankees GM, Brian Cashman. The trade deadline is two days away, and the Yankees have to make some kind of move. This team desperately needs a shot in the arm to get them going.
The sexy move would be to pull off some kind of blockbuster with Cleveland to get a starter like Mike Clevinger. Perhaps a big deal with Cincinnati to acquire Trevor Bauer although that appears unlikely at the moment.
Maybe the Yankees pull off something drastic at the deadline. Perhaps emptying the farm to acquire a guy like Francisco Lindor and a starter from Cleveland. Even acquiring someone like Mychal Givens from Baltimore would put some energy into the team although certainly not the sexiest move.
The GM cannot do anything about injuries. However, the Yankees have the resources to pull off something big at the deadline that won’t just impact this year, but can impact seasons down the road.
I’m not sure what they do, but Brian Cashman has to be feeling the pressure to get something done. The Yankees are in their eleventh year without a World Series appearance. The pressure is on the team to win now. Not next year or the year after, but right now.