The Yankees are running out of time to treat this deadline like a tune-up.
With the trade market tightening and the AL East getting louder by the day, New York has to decide how aggressive it wants to be. The Rays have been in the mix all along, and now the Red Sox are back in the fight too, which only raises the pressure on Brian Cashman to make a real move. The bigger question is whether the Yankees are willing to think beyond the obvious names on the roster and even entertain some surprising trade chips.
That possibility starts with Jazz Chisholm Jr. It has been a strange walk year for him, the kind of season that swings from the ugly to the electric in a hurry.
There has been “lollipop gate,” there have been clutch late-inning homers, and there have also been defensive lapses. Still, Chisholm remains a dynamic player on an affordable, expiring contract, and that matters in a market where hitters are scarce and plenty of clubs are trying to stay alive in a crowded playoff race.
The Yankees have been linked to Luis Arráez, who has said he only wants to play second base if he is dealt, and that creates a direct fit issue if Chisholm is still around. If New York can land Arráez, Chisholm suddenly becomes a possible trade piece to solve another need.
Then there’s George Lombard Jr., the kind of prospect teams usually guard with both hands. Some people view him as untouchable, and he may be the only player in the system who gets that label.
But untouchable is a strong word in a deadline season, especially for a club carrying World Series urgency and an aging core. As Bill Parcells once said, "Sit down.
Listen to me. Everybody has a price.
My own wife can get traded.” That doesn’t mean Lombard Jr. is on the block for just anybody.
It does mean the Yankees could consider moving him only if the return is big enough - the sort of deal that brings back a controllable difference-maker. If New York pushes for a controllable shortstop like Zach Neto or CJ Abrams, the price on Lombard Jr. could get even steeper.
Carlos Rodón is another name that can’t be dismissed. Starting pitching is always in demand, and the Yankees have more arms than they may be able to use once Rodón returns from the IL.
Clarke Schmidt is also working his way back from last year’s Tommy John surgery, and the current rotation picture is crowded at the top. Cam Schlittler, Gerrit Cole, and Max Fried are locked in as the top three, which would leave Rodón, at best, as the No. 4 starter.
That kind of depth gives New York room to think bigger, including the possibility of packaging a controllable starter like Will Warren or Ryan Weathers in a deal for a fourth ace such as Tarik Skubal. Rodón’s salary sits at $27.8 million per season, and with two years left after this one, another club could see him as a strong fit for a No. 2 or No. 3 role.
If that happens, the Yankees could use his value to help fuel a larger move elsewhere.
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