With the Yankees dealing with a pile of injuries in their lineup, they look like one of the teams most likely to be active as the MLB trade deadline approaches. The one prospect the club appears most unwilling to part with is shortstop George Lombard Jr., while other young players could be available if the return is right.
One name that surfaced Thursday was Wilberson De Peña, and his absence from Single-A Tampa’s lineup was not tied to anything more dramatic. Francys Romero reported on X that De Peña was out because of a scheduled day off.
"Yankees OF prospect Wilberson De Peña was not in the Single-A lineup today due to a scheduled day off," Romero wrote on X.
De Peña, who came over from the Los Angeles Angels last summer in the Oswald Peraza deal, has been turning heads. He homered on the first Single-A pitch he saw on Wednesday, and his numbers in the Florida Complex League were loud: 16 home runs, 67 RBIs and a .358 batting average. That production earned him the FCL triple crown.
His name is already showing up in trade conversations, too. Romero reported that three to four teams involved in talks with the Yankees have asked about De Peña, who leads the FCL with 16 homers.
"However, according to sources, three to four teams currently engaged in trade discussions with the Yankees have inquired about De Peña, who leads the FCL with 16 HR," Romero added.
For now, De Peña’s day out of the lineup was just that - a day off - but his strong showing has clearly put him on the radar for clubs looking to deal with New York.
In Other News...
Angels Deadline Could Be Headed In A Very Different Direction
The Angels have already made one move ahead of the deadline, and the next phase of their plan could look a lot different than many around the industry expected. According to reports from Katie Woo, Ken Rosenthal and Will Sammon of The Athletic, some rival executives believe Los Angeles is more likely to move starting pitchers Reid Detmers and Jose Soriano, both of whom come with two years of team control, than shortstop Zach Neto, who has three years left before free agency.
That distinction matters because it hints at how the Angels may be valuing their core as they weigh the possibility of a broader reset. Neto has drawn interest from the Red Sox and Phillies, but the chatter around Detmers and Soriano suggests the club could be more willing to deal from the rotation if it decides to keep its young shortstop as part of the next version of the roster. [Read more 🡒]
Angels Suddenly Have A Deadline Trade Chip Contenders Want
The trade market can change quickly, and Jo Adell has suddenly become one of the more interesting names attached to the Angels as the deadline approaches. Philadelphia is reportedly checking in on the outfielder while also sorting through broader ideas to strengthen its roster, and that alone puts Adell in a category Los Angeles has not always been able to count on for July buzz. For the Angels, any outside interest in a young player with upside can at least create the kind of leverage front offices hope for this time of year.
The Phillies appetite for help is not limited to one path, either. Their scouts were recently seen at a Blue Jays series while the club has shown intrigue in a package that could involve Jeff Hoffman and Daulton Varsho, a player with family ties to Philadelphia. Even if that wider search ultimately leads them elsewhere, it underscores how active the market is around the Angels side of the conversation and why Adell is worth watching as the deadline gets closer. [Read more 🡒]