As the All-Star break offers a respite for the Yankees, the team is poised to make critical upgrades by the late July trade deadline. With a roster already packed with talent, the Yankees are eyeing additional assets to bolster their World Series hopes.
Key Yankees Players Poised for Return
The Yankees are anticipating the return of several key players, enhancing their lineup and pitching staff. Bullpen arm Scott Effross is nearing a return after over a year of rehab from Tommy John surgery and a back injury.
Additionally, slugger Giancarlo Stanton is expected back in early August, alongside starting pitchers Clarke Schmidt and Cody Poteet. The impact of Jon Berti’s absence has also been significantly felt, underscoring the need for these crucial recoveries.
Potential High-Profile Trades on the Horizon
In their quest to reinforce the team, the Yankees have been linked to star pitcher Garrett Crochet. A trade for Crochet would likely require the Yankees to relinquish one of their top prospects, Spencer Jones, who is currently likened to a left-handed Aaron Judge but is still in the throes of development.
Jones, 23, has the upside of being a lefty version of Aaron Judge, but he’s still in the middle of his development and desperately needs more reps under his belt. He spent the last two years with Double-A Somerset, hitting .261/.333/.406 over 17 games last season.
This year, he’s played 73 games and tallied 334 plate appearances. He’s hitting .237/.317/.403, including 10 homers, 46 RBIs, and 18 stolen bases. His 37.1% strikeout rate and 9.9% walk rate are certainly numbers he needs to improve upon before he makes the next transition to Triple-A Scranton.
In the month of June, though, Jones hit .296 with six homers and 29 RBIs, so it is evident he’s taking steps in the right direction and starting to put together far more competent performances. Even so, the Yankees know he’s far from a polished player and still needs at least another year to refine his qualities until he’s ready to make his debut in the majors.
The Strategic Dilemma of Trading Spencer Jones
With that being said, adding an established ace to the rotation in exchange for a projection is always a good move. Crochet, in the instance, is a 25-year-old left-handed pitcher who has a 3.02 ERA over 107.1 innings this year. He has struck out 12.58 batters per nine with a 75.3% left-on-base rate and 45.7% ground ball rate. Adding a player of this caliber to a rotation that already has Cole would be tremendous, but obviously, the Yankees know it will take one of their best prospects to get any deal done.
Balancing Future Prospects Against Immediate Gains
General Manager Brian Cashman faces a tough decision: whether the immediate benefits of adding a proven pitcher outweigh the potential future star power of Spencer Jones. This decision is further complicated by the team’s plans for their outfield, which includes extending Juan Soto and positioning Jasson Dominguez as the starting left fielder next year, potentially limiting Jones’s opportunities with the Yankees.
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Ultimately, the trade deadline could see the Yankees making bold moves to strengthen their lineup and pitching, ensuring they remain competitive in their pursuit of a championship title.