The Yankees‘ offseason is picking up steam following their loss in the Juan Soto sweepstakes and the recent signing of ace Max Fried to an eight-year, $218 million deal. While the addition of Fried solidifies the rotation and pairs him with Gerrit Cole at the top, the Yankees now need to address their offensive firepower. Trading from their depth of starting pitchers might be their best path to acquiring a significant bat.
Trade Candidates from the Yankees’ Rotation
The Yankees have a deep pool of arms, with Nestor Cortes, Marcus Stroman, and Luis Gil among the more notable names. Gil, fresh off an AL Rookie of the Year campaign, could be a particularly valuable trade chip given the premium on pitching in today’s market. With Fried’s arrival tightening the availability of high-end starters, teams desperate for pitching may see the Yankees as a prime trade partner.
However, according to Mark Feinsand of MLB.com, the Yankees may instead be inclined to move Clarke Schmidt. The 28-year-old right-hander is under team control until 2028, offering three more years of cost-efficient production. Schmidt’s 2024 campaign was solid, despite some injury troubles, as he posted a 2.85 ERA across 85.1 innings with 9.81 strikeouts per nine, an 80% left-on-base rate, and a 40.5% ground ball rate. His diverse pitch mix and mid-rotation upside make him a valuable asset.
Schmidt’s Value and Potential Trades
Schmidt’s value shouldn’t be underestimated, and the Yankees need to ensure they get significant returns if they include him in any deal. While rumors suggest Schmidt could be involved in a trade for players like Cody Bellinger or Nolan Arenado, there are concerns about whether such moves make sense. Jack Curry of the YES Network noted that the Yankees don’t view Arenado as a fit, likely avoiding a repeat of the ill-fated Josh Donaldson experiment.
Bellinger, on the other hand, has been on the Cubs’ trading block for weeks. Moving Schmidt for what could amount to a salary dump by Chicago would be a questionable decision unless the Cubs included additional assets, such as Nico Hoerner. Similarly, if the Cardinals were to pursue Schmidt, players like Brendan Donovan would need to be part of the return to make it worthwhile for the Yankees.
- Yankees could suprisingly trade rising starting pitcher
- Yankees would have to trade top prospect to land Kyle Tucker
- Yankees making strong push to land slugging first baseman
Teams Cornered in the Pitching Market
With Corbin Burnes commanding a hefty price tag, mid-level teams lacking the financial resources to sign him are scrambling for affordable pitching. This dynamic puts the Yankees in a strong position, as they hold several enticing arms that could be used to fill offensive gaps. The team’s reported interest in free-agent first baseman Christian Walker only adds to the intrigue as they continue to re-tool their roster and remain active in trade discussions.
The next few days promise to be pivotal for the Yankees as they navigate the post-Soto offseason landscape and aim to position themselves for contention in 2025.