The Yankees’ injury pileup has turned the trade deadline into a must-hit situation, and the latest warning sign is hard to miss: they need more offense, and they need it fast.
With Cody Bellinger expected to miss 4-6 weeks because of a hamstring strain, New York is suddenly without Bellinger, Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton in the lineup. That’s three of the club’s highest-paid position players, and each one has already missed - or is set to miss - a meaningful chunk of time.
That reality has made the need for bats even more obvious. The lineups the Yankees have been putting out lately simply don’t look like groups built to stack wins, and that puts even more strain on the pitching staff.
So when The Athletic’s Jim Bowden was asked in a Q and A whether the Yankees might target two Angels players at the deadline - one catcher and one outfielder - his answer was blunt. Those names would fit the general shape of New York’s needs, but Bowden said the Yankees should be aiming much higher.
"I don’t think the Yankees should have any interest in [Jo] Adell or [Logan] O’Hoppe," Bowden wrote. "They need to shoot higher than them if they want to win the division and have a chance to get back to the World Series."
O’Hoppe would give the Yankees the right-handed hitting catcher they’ve been looking for, but his bat has not produced much this season. He’s carrying a .575 OPS, and at that point, New York might as well stay with Ali Sanchez.
Adell offers power, but that’s about where the appeal thins out. His on-base numbers are poor, and his defense in right field has been subpar. For a Yankees team that needs more than one-dimensional production, that’s not enough.
In Other News...
Mike Trout And The Angels Earned A Meaningful Honor Off The Field
A pregame ceremony at Angel Stadium brought a different kind of spotlight to the Angels, one tied less to wins and losses than to the games support system. The club was recognized with the Bobby Murcer Award for raising the most money among American League teams for MLBs Baseball Assistance Team, a fund built through player payroll deductions and used to help current and former players, along with their families, when financial or personal crises hit.
The honor also served as a reminder of what B.A.T. actually does behind the scenes, from covering healthcare needs and daily essentials to helping with addiction treatment and other emergencies. Kay Murcer, Bobby Murcers widow, was part of the dugout ceremony, underscoring the human side of an award that reflects how much the sports own people rely on one another when life gets difficult. [Read more 🡒]
White Sox Linked To A Starter Who Could Change Everything
Reid Detmers has quietly become one of the more intriguing names on the Angels roster, and that matters because he is no longer just a young arm with promise. He has pitched well enough this season to draw attention from clubs looking for real rotation help, and his contract situation only adds to the appeal, with team control stretching through 2028.
For an Angels team that could be weighing a broader reset, Detmers fits the profile of a player who could bring back meaningful pieces without forcing a full teardown. The White Sox are among the teams keeping tabs as they try to strengthen their pitching for a playoff push, while the Cubs are also in the mix as injuries and a thin rotation leave them searching for stability. [Read more 🡒]