The New York Yankees might be starting to turn a corner after an important 5-4 win over the Toronto Blue Jays on Tuesday night. They moved to within three games of the first place Blue Jays.
The Bronx Bombers are also in front in the American League Wild Card race at 56-45. However, they have some needs to address at the trade deadline.
Their starting rotation has been hit hard by injuries this season. They’ve been without Gerrit Cole all season long and recently lost Clarke Schmidt for the year.
Adding a starter would be helpful. The Athletic’s latest trade deadline Big Board had Merrill Kelly as a top trade chip and listed the Yankees as a possible landing spot.
“On a staff that’s lost Corbin Burnes and can’t find the proper versions of Zac Gallen and Eduardo Rodriguez, it’s Kelly that’s been the standout. He’s got a deep six-pitch mix and command, and is producing numbers that don’t look out of place given his upper-threes career ERA, but he doesn’t quite have the stuff and strikeout numbers of a Game 1 or even a Game 2 October starter. He could be the first to go if the Diamondbacks sell, however, since he’s a free agent at the close of the season.”
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Arizona hasn’t decided whether to buy or sell. But with the team two games under .500, they seem to be trending towards the sell side.
The Yankees don’t have many top prospects to spare if they’re going to make a move to land Kelly. As a rental starter, the cost for Kelly will certainly be high.
But the right-hander is having a strong season, and he played a key role in Arizona reaching the World Series in 2023. The veteran right-hander is 9-5 with a 3.32 ERA and 3.1 WAR in 21 starts. He also has recorded 118 strikeouts over 122 innings pitched.
He could instantly boost the Yankees rotation and give them somebody they can trust in a postseason series. The Yankees need an arm to settle things down with all of their injuries.
We’ll see if the Yankees make an offer.
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