Yankees’ mock trade proposal for Rangers infielder would get Brian Cashman’s number blocked

MLB: Texas Rangers at Oakland Athletics, josh smith, yankees
Credit: Neville E. Guard-Imagn Images

Bleacher Report’s Joel Reuter recently proposed a hypothetical trade that would send Yankees pitcher Marcus Stroman and catching prospect Rafael Flores to the Texas Rangers in exchange for infielder Josh Smith. While this might sound great for the Yankees on paper, the reality is the Rangers would likely laugh, hang up the phone, and block Brian Cashman’s number before he even finished his pitch.

Smith is coming off a breakout 2024 season in which he played 149 games, hitting .258/.337/.394 with 13 home runs, 62 RBIs, and 11 stolen bases, all while posting a solid 111 wRC+.

The 27-year-old lefty bat fits perfectly at Yankee Stadium, where his power numbers would get a slight boost—he would have hit 14 homers in the Bronx last season based on park factors. If he can tweak his launch angle just a bit, he could become a legitimate power threat in pinstripes.

MLB: Texas Rangers at Los Angeles Angels
Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

The problem? Texas has no incentive to move him, especially for what the Yankees are offering.

Stroman’s Contract is a Burden, Not a Trade Asset

Stroman is essentially a financial anchor at this point. After signing a two-year deal with a player option for 2026, he’s set to make $18.5 million this season. While he still has name value, his performance has declined, and moving his salary would require the Yankees to either eat some of the money or attach a legitimate prospect sweetener.

A trade involving Stroman would typically involve the Yankees shedding salary, not acquiring a quality MLB starter in return. If the Rangers are even remotely interested, they’d likely demand a high-upside pitching prospect alongside Flores—something Cashman would have to seriously consider if he wants to upgrade third base.

MLB: New York Yankees at Detroit Tigers, marcus stroman
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Flores is Intriguing but Not Enough

Rafael Flores is a promising young player, but he alone isn’t enough to justify Texas parting with a key piece of their infield. The 24-year-old spent last season between High-A and Double-A, finishing with a .274/.359/.519 slash line in Somerset, adding 15 home runs and a stellar 150 wRC+. He has real offensive upside but is far from a sure thing at the MLB level.

Even if Texas liked Flores as a prospect, there’s no way they would take Stroman’s contract just to acquire him. If the Yankees truly wanted to make a play for Smith, a more realistic package would need to include Stroman, Flores, and another legitimate pitching prospect—perhaps someone like Will Warren or Clayton Beeter—to keep Texas on the line.

The Yankees certainly need to address their third base situation, and Smith would be a great fit, but this particular trade proposal isn’t even close to realistic.

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