The New York Yankees suffered a crushing 5-1 defeat at the hands of the Baltimore Orioles on Monday night. The disappointing outcome was primarily due to rookie starter Jhony Brito, who gave up four home runs before being pulled out after the fourth inning.
Disappointing Performance by Jhony Brito
Despite giving up all five runs, relief pitcher Domingo German managed to salvage some dignity, striking out four batters and allowing only two hits. Unfortunately, the Yankees still found themselves on the less desirable end of the scoreboard.
Amidst the action, Joel Sherman of the New York Post reported that the Yankees were considering selling multiple players, including Harrison Bader, Wandy Peralta, Luis Severino, and Isiah Kiner-Falefa.
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Potential Yankees Sellers: Bader, Peralta, Severino, and Kiner-Falefa
Sherman stated, “In an indicator that they are at least in partial-sell mode, the Yankees have let interested teams know they are open to talking about their walk-year players — a group headlined by Harrison Bader, Isiah Kiner-Falefa, Wandy Peralta, and Luis Severino.”
Harrison Bader, 29, had a promising start to the season but is currently hitting just .260 with a .287 OBP. His records include seven home runs, 33 RBIs, and 10 stolen bases. Despite having the lowest walk rate of his career at 2.9%, he is also striking out at a career-low 15.7%. With Bader heading towards free agency after the season concludes, the Yankees are likely aiming to maximize his remaining value and prepare for a fresh start in 2024.
Wandy Peralta, 32, is also on the Yankees’ potential selling list. He boasts a 2.29 ERA, 7.32 strikeouts per nine, an 83.3% left-on-base rate, and a 64.1% ground ball rate over 39.1 innings this year. However, his walks have increased to 4.81 per nine, and he hasn’t seen much action recently.
Difficult Seasons for Severino and Kiner-Falefa
Luis Severino is enduring one of his most challenging seasons as a professional. Over 57.2 innings, Severino has a dismal 7.49 ERA, a 63.2% left-on-base rate, and a 39.5% ground ball rate. His performance over the past two months has been particularly poor, which means the Yankees might look to extract any residual value from him, even if other teams perceive him as a net negative trade piece.
Finally, 28-year-old utility man Isiah Kiner-Falefa, who transitioned to the outfield this year, is also being considered for trade. Despite his poor defense in left field, Kiner-Falefa is having one of his best offensive seasons, hitting .257 with a .322 OBP. His record also includes five homers, 28 RBIs, and a 95 wRC+. Given his impending free agency, teams requiring an extra bat might value him as a useful supplementary piece in the event of injury or fatigue.