Are the New York Yankees willing to trade Clint Frazier for a pitcher?
If the New York Yankees realistically want a quality pitcher with control to help the rotation, they will likely have to part ways with the offensive-minded Clint Frazier.
Frazier, who was demoted to the minor league’s due to his below-average defense, has been playing well in Triple-A, however, he could be utilized as trade bait given the value he currently holds. The Yankees have been linked to several pitching options including Marcus Stroman, Madison Bumgarner, Trevor Bauer, Mike Minor and others, but the expectation is that they will require a pretty penny.
Stroman has been heavily linked to the Yanks, currently having a solid season with a 3.06 ERA. Inconsistencies throughout his career have driven down his price-tag, but the success he’s having in 2019 will force the Bombers to give up a decent player if not multiple prospects.
The elevation of reserve options like Mike Tauchman and Cameron Maybin makes Frazier irrelevant to a degree, and keeping him in the minors for the extended future is essentially just wasting away his talent. Adding a pitcher with his value could be worth more to the current team that Frazier’s influence down the road.
Prior to being designated for assignment, Clint was hitting .283 with 11 homers and 34 RBIs on the season. He also recorded three errors and had a fielding percentage of .950. In the event that the Yanks trade Frazier, the importance of Tauchman instantly increases. He’s been on a hot streak as of late and will be a frequent flyer on the starting team. His success helps justify trading Frazier at the end of the day.