The Yankees addressed a number of wants and even just a few needs earlier than Thursday’s commerce deadline.
With Ryan McMahon, they discovered their major third baseman and added an elite glove to a questionable protection. Austin Slater and Amed Rosario give the membership two right-handed bats that damage left-handed pitching, whereas José Caballero affords a much more dynamic utility possibility than the departed Oswald Peraza.
After which there have been the bullpen strikes. With David Benner, Camilo Doval and Jake Hen, the Yankees addressed their largest weak spot in grand trend whereas additionally keeping track of the long run.
Talking of the long run, the Yankees acquired all these gamers with out buying and selling high prospects George Lombard Jr., Spencer Jones, Carlos Lagrange and Cam Schlittler, amongst others.
“We are better today than we were yesterday,” Brian Cashman mentioned minutes after the 6 p.m. deadline, “so mission accomplished there.”
There isn’t any arguing with Cashman, who deserves some credit score for one of many busiest deadline days in his lengthy normal managerial tenure. The Yankees are actually a extra gifted and deeper staff than they had been earlier than all of these trades.
That mentioned, there have been just a few items that Cashman couldn’t import earlier than the deadline.
STARTING PITCHING
Whereas reduction pitching was the precedence, the Yankees might have used one other starter as nicely. Cashman mentioned he tried for one, however he couldn’t strike a deal.
“We tried to improve every aspect of the club, and this is what we have to show for those efforts,” Cashman mentioned. “We certainly knocked on many doors regarding potential starting pitching.”
Cashman was then particularly requested if the Yankees had been in on Marlins ace Sandy Alcantara. He declined to reply straight, although a number of reviews mentioned that the 2 groups mentioned the 2022 Nationwide League Cy Younger winner.
“You’re used to so many conversations that lead to nowhere, but we were able to push through on a lot of these conversations, and that’s what we’re here to talk about,” Cashman mentioned. “Can’t really talk about the ones that we couldn’t make. There was a lot of effort in a lot of different arenas, but they were not to be.”
Whereas the Yankees couldn’t usher in a brand new starter, the staff is getting Luis Gil again on Sunday, as he’ll make his season debut in opposition to Miami after struggling a lat damage in spring coaching.
Aaron Boone has already in contrast Gil’s impending return to a commerce deadline addition. Whereas that’s not what he’s, the 2024 American League Rookie of the 12 months is a big enhance to a rotation that presently consists of Max Fried, Carlos Rodón, Will Warren, Marcus Stroman and Schlittler.
Gil will pressure a kind of final three out of the rotation. Basing the selection on benefit alone would make Stroman the plain alternative, because the veteran has struggled and isn’t a part of the Yankees’ future.
The Yankees might minimize Stroman altogether, however they’ve restricted rotation depth, and Warren and Schlittler will be demoted. Their high quality stuff might additionally make them lethal reduction weapons, additional revamping a reworked bullpen that can also be anticipating Mark Leiter Jr., Fernando Cruz and swingman Ryan Yarbrough again from accidents.
Stroman might additionally pitch in reduction, however his stuff would make him extra of a mop-up man.
Thus far, Boone has declined to touch upon how Gil’s return will affect others within the rotation.
A LEFTY RELIEVER
The Yankees’ bullpen is in nice form now that Bednar, Hen and Doval, all righties, are within the combine. Nonetheless, pitching coach Matt Blake expressed curiosity in buying a second southpaw for the group, as Tim Hill has already been used 52 instances this season.
“Ideally, you go out and get a really good lefty to complement him,” Blake not too long ago mentioned, “but we’ll see what’s out there in the market.”
The Yankees didn’t add such a reliever, however Blake mentioned Yarbrough might fill the position as soon as he returns from an indirect damage. The funky lefty shined as a rotation substitute earlier this season.
There’s additionally Brent Headrick, who recorded six strikeouts and allowed one hit over two video games and three innings between Monday and Wednesday. Headrick, who has gone backwards and forwards between the majors and Triple-A this season, hasn’t all the time been in a position to keep his velocity, however he can hit the upper-90s when he’s at his greatest.
“He broke camp with us because we saw some of this,” Boone mentioned Thursday, including that Headrick has had just a few minor accidents this 12 months. “It’s been encouraging what we’ve seen this go-around.
“When [his stuff’s] been good, it’s been really good. There’s been more of those fluctuations, though.”
As for some righties, Cruz has been dominant in opposition to each side of the plate this season, and Leiter has had extra success in opposition to lefties all through his profession. Weaver has additionally been a reverse splits man this season, although he’s been in a funk recently.
After which there’s Bednar and Doval, skilled closers who can be utilized in any high-leverage scenario with Devin Williams anticipated to stay within the ninth-inning position. Each newcomers have been higher in opposition to lefties than righties this season, with Bednar boasting drastic reverse splits.
“The reality is we have a number of guys who are more than capable of getting the final three outs,” Boone mentioned, “so we’ll see as we go and kind of match that up.”
Initially Printed: August 1, 2025 at 10:15 AM EDT
