New York Yankees Trade Rumors: Latest Updates and Reaction
Joba Chamberlain hasn’t given the Yankees much to smile about this season. J. Meric/Getty Images
While the Yankees have done a remarkable job of mixing and matching to remain in shouting distance of a playoff spot, the team approaches the trade deadline with more questions than answers.
There’s no question that the team needs bats, and the chances of acquiring a player capable of producing like Derek Jeter, Curtis Granderson and Alex Rodriguez can are slim.
But there’s no way of knowing how much production that trio will be able to provide when they are healthy enough to return to the lineup, which finds Brian Cashman in a difficult spot.
Does he roll the dice on the current 25-man roster, believing that trio’s addition will be enough to not only clinch a playoff spot but also give the team a legitimate shot of making a deep playoff run?
Or will he look to make a more substantial move, trading for an impact bat to not only bolster the lineup but also serve as insurance if the returning stars aren’t able to produce as the team has become accustomed to?
There’s also a third, less popular option. The Yankees may decide 2013 simply isn’t their year and become sellers, dealing away veteran pieces and expiring contracts for younger, less established talent with an eye toward 2014 and beyond.
Things are going to get interesting in the Bronx over the next few weeks, and this is the place to find the latest rumors involving the Yankees, along with analysis of and reaction to any rumored or completed deals.
Will Alfonso Soriano Return to Where It All Began?
Alfonso Soriano in his younger days, circa 2003. Doug Pensinger/Getty Images
Update: July 23, 5:38 a.m. ET
According to George A. King III of the New York Post, the Yankees are on the verge of acquiring Alfonso Soriano from the Cubs in exchange for a mid-level prospect.
Chicago is reportedly going to pick up the bulk of the salary remaining on Soriano’s deal.
–End of Update–
It’s a possibility, according to Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times, who cites major league sources as saying that the Yankees have interest in a reunion with the veteran slugger.
Now 37, Soriano is no longer a perennial 30-30 candidate, but he certainly fits the team’s need for right-handed bat with power and hasn’t been as much of a defensive liability in left field as many perceive him to be.
Wittenmyer goes on to say that it’s far more likely Soriano is dealt in August, when he’d likely clear waivers thanks to the $25 million that remains on his contract, but whether it’s in July or August, bringing Soriano back into the fold makes a lot of sense for the Yankees.
He’s always been a popular figure among fans, is a terrific presence in the clubhouse and would likely jump at the chance to get back to New York, not only due to the familiar surroundings but also because the Yankees hold spring training in Florida, which is where he lives in the offseason.
Aramis Ramirez Won’t Be Added Before the Deadline
Ramirez would make a lot of sense for the Yanks… Joe Sargent/Getty Images
Update: July 20 at 12:00 p.m. ET
Forget everything that we just talked about in regards to Aramis Ramirez.
According to Fox Sports’ Ken Rosenthal, Ramirez is not going to be activated from the disabled list on Monday and is expected to miss at least another 10-to-14 days, pushing his return date past the non-waiver trade deadline.
While a trade in August is possible, its highly unlikely, especially if the Yankees find themselves further out of the playoff picture than they currently are.
–End of Update–
Update: July 19 at 3:43 p.m. ET
Despite previous reports that the Bombers felt Aramis Ramirez was too costly an addition, the Boston Globe‘s Nick Cafardo says that both the Yankees and Red Sox will be scouting the veteran when he is activated from the disabled list on Monday.
A right-handed bat with power, trading for Ramirez would make sense for the Yankees despite the imminent return of Alex Rodriguez. That said, nobody is quite sure what Milwaukee is seeking in exchange for him (you can be sure that the Brewers aren’t going to give him away), and he does have significant money left on his contract.
Finances are something to keep in mind when it comes to any proposed deal for the Yankees, who are intent on being under the $189 million luxury tax threshold next year and still have to re-sign Robinson Cano and, perhaps, Curtis Granderson as well.
–End of Update–
With Milwaukee going nowhere fast, rumors have been circulating surrounding nearly every player on the roster with the exception of Ryan Braun, Carlos Gomez and Jean Segura, who are considered to be untouchable.
Aramis Ramirez’s name has been linked to the Yankees in past seasons, and with the team needing to add an impact bat—and the fact that sooner, rather than later, Alex Rodriguez is going to become the most expensive full-time designated hitter in baseball history—it makes sense that some would speculate that the Yankees would have interest in acquiring the two-time All-Star.
But according to CBS Sports’ Jon Heyman, that simply isn’t going to happen, as the Bronx Bombers believe that Ramirez is too pricey of an addition—both monetarily (he’s signed through 2014 at $16 million with a mutual $14 million option for 2015) and in terms of what Milwaukee would be asking for in return.
Chase Headley Won’t Be Wearing Pinstripes
Denis Poroy/Getty ImagesBrian Cashman called Padres GM Josh Byrnes to see if there was a deal to be made involving third baseman Chase Headley…and found out that there wasn’t, according to CBS Sports’ Jon Heyman.
The Padres view the switch-hitting Headley as the player who broke out last season with an .875 OPS, 31 home runs and a National League-leading 115 RBI—not the player who has seven home runs, 31 RBI and a .689 OPS through the first half of this year.
While Headley would be an upgrade over the group of players that the Yankees have used at the hot corner this season, selling the farm to acquire him simply makes no sense, especially with last year looking more like an aberration than the norm for the 29-year-old.
Yankees Shopping a Three-Player Package
Nick Laham/Getty ImagesAccording to ESPN’s Jim Bowden (subscription required), the Yankees have been shopping a three-player package of Joba Chamberlain, Phil Hughes and catching prospect J.R. Murphy in their attempts to acquire an impact bat.
So far, nobody has bitten on the trio, and Bowden makes the case that while Minnesota’s Justin Morneau would be a fit in the Bronx, the Twins aren’t likely to be interested in that package of players, with Joe Mauer entrenched behind the plate and the looming free agency of Chamberlain and Hughes.
Murphy, 22, the team’s second-round pick in the 2009 draft, has split time between Double-A and Triple-A this season, hitting a combined .282 with 9 HR, 37 RBI and an .801 OPS.
With Gary Sanchez still considered the catcher of the future in the Bronx, Murphy is expendable—and his inclusion should make the pair of pending free agents that the team is trying to unload a bit more attractive, especially for a team in need of a young catcher.
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Joba Chamberlain hasn’t given the Yankees much to smile about this season. J. Meric/Getty Images
While the Yankees have done a remarkable job of mixing and matching to remain in shouting distance of a playoff spot, the team approaches the trade deadline with more questions than answers.
There’s no question that the team needs bats, and the chances of acquiring a player capable of producing like Derek Jeter, Curtis Granderson and Alex Rodriguez can are slim.
But there’s no way of knowing how much production that trio will be able to provide when they are healthy enough to return to the lineup, which finds Brian Cashman in a difficult spot.
Does he roll the dice on the current 25-man roster, believing that trio’s addition will be enough to not only clinch a playoff spot but also give the team a legitimate shot of making a deep playoff run?
Or will he look to make a more substantial move, trading for an impact bat to not only bolster the lineup but also serve as insurance if the returning stars aren’t able to produce as the team has become accustomed to?
There’s also a third, less popular option. The Yankees may decide 2013 simply isn’t their year and become sellers, dealing away veteran pieces and expiring contracts for younger, less established talent with an eye toward 2014 and beyond.
Things are going to get interesting in the Bronx over the next few weeks, and this is the place to find the latest rumors involving the Yankees, along with analysis of and reaction to any rumored or completed deals.
Will Alfonso Soriano Return to Where It All Began?
Alfonso Soriano in his younger days, circa 2003. Doug Pensinger/Getty Images
Update: July 23, 5:38 a.m. ET
According to George A. King III of the New York Post, the Yankees are on the verge of acquiring Alfonso Soriano from the Cubs in exchange for a mid-level prospect.
Chicago is reportedly going to pick up the bulk of the salary remaining on Soriano’s deal.
–End of Update–
It’s a possibility, according to Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times, who cites major league sources as saying that the Yankees have interest in a reunion with the veteran slugger.
Now 37, Soriano is no longer a perennial 30-30 candidate, but he certainly fits the team’s need for right-handed bat with power and hasn’t been as much of a defensive liability in left field as many perceive him to be.
Wittenmyer goes on to say that it’s far more likely Soriano is dealt in August, when he’d likely clear waivers thanks to the $25 million that remains on his contract, but whether it’s in July or August, bringing Soriano back into the fold makes a lot of sense for the Yankees.
He’s always been a popular figure among fans, is a terrific presence in the clubhouse and would likely jump at the chance to get back to New York, not only due to the familiar surroundings but also because the Yankees hold spring training in Florida, which is where he lives in the offseason.
Aramis Ramirez Won’t Be Added Before the Deadline
Ramirez would make a lot of sense for the Yanks… Joe Sargent/Getty Images
Update: July 20 at 12:00 p.m. ET
Forget everything that we just talked about in regards to Aramis Ramirez.
According to Fox Sports’ Ken Rosenthal, Ramirez is not going to be activated from the disabled list on Monday and is expected to miss at least another 10-to-14 days, pushing his return date past the non-waiver trade deadline.
While a trade in August is possible, its highly unlikely, especially if the Yankees find themselves further out of the playoff picture than they currently are.
–End of Update–
Update: July 19 at 3:43 p.m. ET
Despite previous reports that the Bombers felt Aramis Ramirez was too costly an addition, the Boston Globe‘s Nick Cafardo says that both the Yankees and Red Sox will be scouting the veteran when he is activated from the disabled list on Monday.
A right-handed bat with power, trading for Ramirez would make sense for the Yankees despite the imminent return of Alex Rodriguez. That said, nobody is quite sure what Milwaukee is seeking in exchange for him (you can be sure that the Brewers aren’t going to give him away), and he does have significant money left on his contract.
Finances are something to keep in mind when it comes to any proposed deal for the Yankees, who are intent on being under the $189 million luxury tax threshold next year and still have to re-sign Robinson Cano and, perhaps, Curtis Granderson as well.
–End of Update–
With Milwaukee going nowhere fast, rumors have been circulating surrounding nearly every player on the roster with the exception of Ryan Braun, Carlos Gomez and Jean Segura, who are considered to be untouchable.
Aramis Ramirez’s name has been linked to the Yankees in past seasons, and with the team needing to add an impact bat—and the fact that sooner, rather than later, Alex Rodriguez is going to become the most expensive full-time designated hitter in baseball history—it makes sense that some would speculate that the Yankees would have interest in acquiring the two-time All-Star.
But according to CBS Sports’ Jon Heyman, that simply isn’t going to happen, as the Bronx Bombers believe that Ramirez is too pricey of an addition—both monetarily (he’s signed through 2014 at $16 million with a mutual $14 million option for 2015) and in terms of what Milwaukee would be asking for in return.
Chase Headley Won’t Be Wearing Pinstripes
Denis Poroy/Getty ImagesBrian Cashman called Padres GM Josh Byrnes to see if there was a deal to be made involving third baseman Chase Headley…and found out that there wasn’t, according to CBS Sports’ Jon Heyman.
The Padres view the switch-hitting Headley as the player who broke out last season with an .875 OPS, 31 home runs and a National League-leading 115 RBI—not the player who has seven home runs, 31 RBI and a .689 OPS through the first half of this year.
While Headley would be an upgrade over the group of players that the Yankees have used at the hot corner this season, selling the farm to acquire him simply makes no sense, especially with last year looking more like an aberration than the norm for the 29-year-old.
Yankees Shopping a Three-Player Package
Nick Laham/Getty ImagesAccording to ESPN’s Jim Bowden (subscription required), the Yankees have been shopping a three-player package of Joba Chamberlain, Phil Hughes and catching prospect J.R. Murphy in their attempts to acquire an impact bat.
So far, nobody has bitten on the trio, and Bowden makes the case that while Minnesota’s Justin Morneau would be a fit in the Bronx, the Twins aren’t likely to be interested in that package of players, with Joe Mauer entrenched behind the plate and the looming free agency of Chamberlain and Hughes.
Murphy, 22, the team’s second-round pick in the 2009 draft, has split time between Double-A and Triple-A this season, hitting a combined .282 with 9 HR, 37 RBI and an .801 OPS.
With Gary Sanchez still considered the catcher of the future in the Bronx, Murphy is expendable—and his inclusion should make the pair of pending free agents that the team is trying to unload a bit more attractive, especially for a team in need of a young catcher.
Is Phil Hughes on His Way out of Town?
Mike Stobe/Getty Images
Update: July 17, 1:43 p.m. ET
So far, the Yankees have not received an offer to their liking in exchange for Phil Hughes, according to CBS Sports’ Jon Heyman, who points to the Los Angeles Angels as a potential trade partner.
Per Heyman, the Angels have liked Hughes for quite some time, nearly drafting him in 2004 before deciding to go with Jered Weaver instead.
Unless a general manager is willing to meet Brian Cashman’s asking price—thought to be a right-handed corner bat with power— the Yankees will hold onto Hughes for the rest of the season.
–End of Update–
Update: July 15, 8:50 a.m. ET
Joel Sherman of the New York Post says that the Yankees are looking to turn Hughes into a right-handed corner bat with power, one who is under team control for more than the rest of the 2013 season.
If a deal doesn’t come along to their liking, the team is prepared to give Hughes the 2014 tender (roughly $13.8 million), with the team’s thinking being that if he accepts, it would still be able to trade him next season and if he declines, the team would receive a compensatory draft pick when he signs elsewhere.
While Hughes has been maddening as a starter, showing flashes of brilliance that are all too short-lived, it makes sense for the Yankees to stand their ground and not take less than what they want in a deal for him.
Sure, it would be nice to have Ivan Nova in the rotation and to see whether Michael Pineda can recapture the magic that was the first half of his 2011 season in Seattle, but with an aging rotation, it never hurts to have extra arms available.
Besides, we’ve seen Hughes dominate out of the bullpen before, and that could be where he’s headed in the postseason should the Yankees make it that far, especially if Nova continues to throw the ball well in spot duty.
–End of Update–
Fox Spots’ Ken Rosenthal quotes an unnamed American League executive as saying that the Yankees are “aggressively trying to move both Joba Chamberlain and Phil Hughes,” with the expectation that Chamberlain is likely headed to a National League club.
Hughes, a free agent at the end of the season who was once considered to be more untouchable than Chamberlain, has proven once again this season that Yankee Stadium is his undoing, as evidenced by his drastic home and away splits:
| W-L | ERA | WHIP | |
| Home | 1-6 | 5.74 | 1.45 |
| Away | 3-2 | 3.38 | 1.21 |
That’s par for the course for Hughes, who has a career 4.77 ERA at Yankee Stadium, a 4.04 ERA away from the homes that Ruth and George built.
CBS Sports’ Jon Heyman says that the Angels are a possible destination for the 27-year-old, citing another American League executive who believes that the Yankees could receive a substantial return for Hughes, should the team decide to move him.
With Michael Pineda close to making his Yankees debut and Ivan Nova waiting in the wings, moving Hughes makes a lot of sense for the Yankees, who, for the first time in a long time, seemingly have a plethora of starting pitching at their disposal.
Will Joba Chamberlain Be Dealt?
Joba has worn out his welcome in the Big Apple. Elsa/Getty Images
Update: June 9, 2:33 p.m. ET
We can add the Philadelphia Phillies to the list of teams who are interested in acquiring Joba Chamberlain, according to Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News.
Philadelphia has two players who you’d imagine would be of tremendous interest to the Yankees: third baseman Michael Young and catcher Carlos Ruiz, both of whom Feinsand goes on to note are believed to be available.
While it’s unlikely that Joba by himself would bring back both veterans, a one-for-one trade of Chamberlain for Young would make sense for both clubs. Young is a capable defender at multiple infield positions and still swings a solid bat, two things that the Yankees could certainly use.
Chamberlain, who clearly needs a change of scenery, would essentially be embarking on a two-month audition for the Phillies, who if they acquired him, could become more motivated to move Jonathan Papelbon, most likely to a team that the Yankees are competing against (Boston and Detroit come to mind).
–End of Update–
Whether or not he finishes the season with the Yankees, it’s very likely 2013 is the last year Joba Chamberlain will spend in pinstripes.
A free agent after the season, the once untouchable pitching prospect has drawn interest from Atlanta and San Francisco, according to the New York Post‘s George A. King III and Dan Martin. But what the pair of National League clubs might be offering in exchange is unknown.
Chamberlain, 27, has pitched to a 5.75 ERA and 1.77 WHIP over 20.1 innings of relief this season, though his FIP (5.09) and xFIP (3.99) (via FanGraphs) indicate he’s been better than his bloated numbers would indicate.
The emergence of Preston Claiborne and the solid performance by veteran Shawn Kelley out of the bullpen have made Joba expendable, and parting ways now, rather than after the season, may be the best thing for both player and team.
Will the Yankees Add Another Catcher?
Francisco Cervelli isn’t coming off the disabled list anytime soon. Al Bello/Getty Images
According to Andy McCullough of the Newark Star-Ledger, Francisco Cervelli has suffered a setback in his rehabilitation from a broken hand suffered back in April. He’s now dealing with a stress reaction in his right elbow, resulting in the 27-year-old being shut down until after the All-Star break.
That leads McCullough to say the team might be looking to add another backstop before the trade deadline hits. Such a move makes sense considering the lack of production that the Yankees have gotten from the position (aside from Cervelli):
| Catcher | G | BA | OPS | XBH (HR) | RBI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Francisco Cervelli | 17 | .269 | .877 | 6 (3) | 8 |
| Austin Romine | 31 | .136 | .331 | 3 (0) | 2 |
| Chris Stewart | 57 | .253 | .658 | 5 (3) | 13 |
The trade market isn’t expected to have any big-name backstops available, but veterans like John Buck of the cross-town Mets and former Yankees’ farmhand Dioner Navarro (now with the Cubs) are likely to be relatively low-cost options as the trade deadline draws near.
Romine has been a colossal disappointment, and while Stewart has done a solid job defensively, both Buck and Navarro would represent an upgrade at the plate.
Don’t Count on Alex Rios Landing in the Bronx
Alex Rios makes a lot of sense for the Yankees. Kyle Rivas/Getty Images
While the team’s recent move of Curtis Granderson from the 15-day disabled list to the 60-day disabled list was largely a procedural move to open up a spot on the 40-man roster for Michael Pineda, the fact remains that Granderson, who hasn’t played since May 24, still can’t grip a bat.
There’s no timetable for his return from a fractured knuckle, and with the Yankees getting mediocre production in right field—the seven players who have spent time there in 2013 have combined to hit .265 with eight home runs, 27 RBI and a .698 OPS—it would make sense for the team to look to upgrade the position.
Of the players available, Chicago’s Alex Rios, who provides right-handed power in the middle of the lineup would seem to be an ideal fit.
But Rios, who is signed through the 2014 season with a team option for 2015, has the Yankees listed as one of the six teams he can block a trade to, according to the Chicago Tribune‘s Mark Gonzales.
While players can often be financially motivated to waive no-trade clauses, it’s hard to see the veteran doing so to come to New York, as his playing time is likely to be cut into if and when Granderson returns to action.
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