The only thing that can end speculation about the New York Yankees trading for Nolan Arenado at this point is… the Yankees trading for Nolan Arenado.
The Yankees’ need at third base has been evident for a long time, and that certainly didn’t change when Oswaldo Cabrera fractured his ankle earlier this week. Arenado is expensive and often looks past his prime, but he’s also an eight-time All-Star and 10-time Gold Glover.
There are still two-and-a-half months until the Major League Baseball trade deadline, so it’s not out of the question that the Yankees’ internal options at the hot corner could step up. But it’s hard to count on a surge from Oswald Peraza or DJ LeMahieu, each for different reasons.
With that in mind, one baseball writer believes the Yankees should go all-in on acquiring the St. Louis Cardinals’ star.
On Thursday, Garrett Kerman of ClutchPoints proposed that New York could send shortstop prospect Roderick Arias and right-handed pitching prospects Cam Schlitter and Bryce Cunningham to the Cardinals in exchange for Arenado.
“The Yankees acquire Nolan Arenado, with the Cardinals sending $25 million to help cover the remaining salary,” Kerman wrote. “In return, St. Louis receives three of New York’s top prospects.”
Follow The Sporting News On WhatsApp
“For the Yankees, this trade is the ultimate win-now move. Arenado’s glove instantly stabilizes the infield, and his bat deepens a lineup that has struggled to find consistency at third base. The Yankees have the resources to absorb the financial hit.”
Cunningham and Arias are MLB Pipeline’s fourth and fifth-ranked Yankees prospects presently, while Schlitter checks in at number 10. This is a steep price to pay for a player with questionable offensive upside, even one with Arenado’s track record.
The Yankees would certainly have a better chance at a World Series with Arenado on the team than they do right now. But how much prospect capital is that marginal increase worth to them?
More MLB: Yankees $162 million starter gives take on Juan Soto’s polarizing Mets decision
