The Yankees are shaping up as one of the deadline’s biggest buyers, and the path to August 3 could get crowded fast.
With less than two weeks left before the MLB trade deadline, New York has several areas it can target: catcher, bullpen help, infield depth, a right-handed hitting outfielder, and possibly another starter. That’s the kind of shopping list that can turn into a busy late-July stretch, and Mike Axisa of CBS Sports thinks it will.
Axisa is forecasting five Yankees trades before the deadline, with upgrades coming at four different roster spots. As he put it: "The Yankees will make at least five trades," Axisa predicts.
"They'll bring in a catcher, two relievers, a bench guy, and something else entirely. A busy deadline in New York is comin'."
That kind of forecast fits the way the Yankees are positioned right now. Brian Cashman and the front office are expected to explore multiple moves, and if the right deals line up, five additions would not be a surprise.
Catcher looks like one of the clearest places to act. Any upgrade would be aimed at moving past Austin Wells, with names like Ryan Jeffers, Hunter Goodman, Shea Langeliers, and Tyler Stephenson all mentioned as possible fits.
The bullpen is another obvious target, and the wish list there starts with Mason Miller. If that kind of splash doesn’t happen, other relievers such as Jason Adam, Adrian Morejon, Brooks Raley, A.J. Minter, Antonio Senzatela, and even a possible reunion with Luke Weaver are all presented as sensible options.
The remaining moves are a little less defined, but the logic is still there. A bench addition would ideally be a flexible player who can cover multiple spots, along the lines of the Jose Cabellero deal the Yankees made last summer.
The final piece could go in one of two directions. It might be another starter, especially with concerns about Carlos Rodon’s return, or it could be a right-handed hitting outfielder to help with depth while Aaron Judge works through injury recovery concerns.
It doesn’t need to be a headline-grabbing blockbuster to make sense. A starter who could later shift to the bullpen in October, or a right-handed bat for the outfield mix, would still fit the Yankees’ deadline needs.
Axisa’s read is clear: five trades, four upgraded areas, and a busy finish for New York before August 3.
In Other News...
Yankees May Have Found The Deadline Catcher This Lineup Desperately Needs
The Yankees search for help behind the plate has become one of the quieter but more obvious deadline storylines, with Austin Wells still searching for consistency and the rest of the catching mix offering little certainty. That is why the idea of adding a more established bat at catcher has started to make sense, especially for a club trying to squeeze more offense out of every spot in the lineup.
Jim Bowden of The Athletic floated Colorados Hunter Goodman as a name worth watching, and the fit is easy to see from New Yorks side because a move like that could ease the burden on Wells while giving the Yankees another middle-of-the-order option on days when the catcher is not behind the plate. The catch, of course, is that the Rockies are not likely to move a player with that kind of control lightly, which is why this remains one of those deadline ideas that feels intriguing now and complicated the moment the real negotiations begin. [Read more 🡒]
Yankees Bullpen Hunt Just Took A Serious Turn
The Yankees search for bullpen help has moved well beyond the usual July window shopping. According to USA Todays Bob Nightengale, the club is also looking for a backup catcher and additional offense, but the most eye-catching part of the report is the level of relief arm they are chasing as the deadline approaches.
Mason Miller has been one of the most effective relievers in the game this season, and the appeal is obvious for a Yankees team trying to shorten games down the stretch. He is also under team control through 2029, which only raises the stakes for any deal, because getting him would almost certainly require a massive return and a front office willing to pay a steep price. [Read more 🡒]
Yankees May Have Quietly Found The Bullpen Help They Desperately Needed
When the Yankees signed Paul Blackburn to a one-year deal after his release from the Mets, it looked like the kind of low-risk move teams make to patch over a bullpen need. Instead, Blackburn has quietly turned into one of the steadier arms in Aaron Boones relief mix, putting up a 0.99 ERA over 36 1/3 innings since mid-May and giving the club a useful option in spots that matter most.
His turnaround has been tied to both a bump in velocity and a change in how he attacks hitters, which has helped him fit into the late-inning picture far better than expected. Boone has already noted how well Blackburn has handled high-leverage situations, and with the trade deadline approaching, the bigger question is whether this unexpected internal answer changes how aggressively the Yankees need to shop for bullpen help. [Read more 🡒]