The New York Yankees have been busy adding bats before the trade deadline, swinging deals for Ryan McMahon, Amed Rosario and Austin Slater.
But on the pitching side? That’s a different story.
The Yankees have been hesitant to meet asking prices on the relief market, according to MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch. Just look at what the Athletics got for closer Mason Miller when they dealt him to the Padres – the biggest return a relief pitcher has ever netted in a trade on paper.
But the Yankees might not mind standing pat for another reason entirely.
They’re expecting reinforcements from their own injured list. Luis Gil, Mark Leiter Jr., Fernando Cruz and Ryan Yarbrough are all working they’re way back from injury. All four are expected back sooner rather than later.
The Yankees believe those guys returning “hopefully are big deals for us.”
There’s real merit to that thinking. There are only so many spots on a pitching staff, and if they acquire a bunch of new relievers then get all their injured pitchers back, you’re looking at a real logjam.
Obviously, New York shouldn’t pass on a pitcher just because it could get crowded. If the price is right, the price is right.
But if the price isn’t right? The Yankees have reason to believe they’ll be OK. It’s been a rough season for pitching injuries in the Bronx, but if their luck is better the rest of the way, they’ll have a deep enough staff to make noise in the postseason.
And that’s even without making a bunch of trades before the deadline.
