The New York Yankees have a 40-25 record. However, they have some clear needs to address at the trade deadline, but the outfield is not necessarily one of them.
Cody Bellinger, Aaron Judge, Jasson Domínguez and Trent Grisham have all seen regular playing time in the outfield. Judge and Bellinger have been great and Grisham and Domínguez are not struggling to the point that justifies replacing them. Both are hitting .246, but boast an OPS+ of over 100.
The Yankees have bigger needs in the infield, the rotation and the bullpen. However, MLB insider Francys Romero revealed that the Yankees are expected to pursue Luis Robert Jr. of the Chicago White Sox near the trade deadline.
“Luis Robert Jr. continues to draw attention as a potential trade piece,” Romero wrote on X. “Teams like the Yankees, Mariners, and Phillies are expected to be in the conversation ahead of the trade deadline, according to industry sources.”
Robert signed a six-year, $50 million deal in 2020 and has $20 million club options for the next two years. He has struggled to stay healthy throughout his career, playing at least 100 games just twice. In 2023, he played in 145 games and was an All-Star, showing his true potential. He hit 38 home runs that season.
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However, this season, despite being relatively healthy, he has struggled. He is hitting .184 with just six home runs. He does have 21 stolen bases, but right now, he is not an upgrade over any of the Yankees’ outfielders. If the Yankees were to acquire Robert, it would be a puzzling move and would have to be in hopes of him playing like an All-Star again.
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