The New York Yankees lost Gerrit Cole in spring training, and Luis Gil is still working his way back from injury. Their pitching has not been bad, but they could be in the market for upgrades.
The Yankees signed Max Fried this offseason. His arrival has helped soften the blow of losing Cole, but Carlos Carrasco, Clarke Schmidt and Will Warren have not been great this year. There should be many good players available near the trade deadline, and Bleacher Report’s Tim Kelly listed the Yankees among teams that could swing a trade for Pablo López.
“Who would be a fit? Well, probably just about every team in contention,” wrote Kelly. “We previously mentioned the Cubs, Mets, Yankees and Padres as possible fits for (Sandy) Alcántara. Those teams would make sense for López, should he be available, as could the Atlanta Braves, San Francisco Giants and Houston Astros.”
López signed a four-year, $73 million deal in 2023 and is under contract through 2027. He has a 2.25 ERA in five starts this season. He would be a massive upgrade to the Yankees’ starting rotation, but he will have many suitors. The Minnesota Twins are 13-18 this season and could very well be sellers at the trade deadline.
López was an All-Star for the first time in 2023. He has missed some time this year, but has made 32 starts in consecutive seasons before 2025. He could be a key player for the Yankees this season, as well as in the future.
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When Gil returns, the Yankees would have Fried, López and Gil at the top of their rotation. Then, next season, they would add Cole to that group.
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