New York Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner suggested in a recent interview that the team will look to add pieces before the trade deadline.
The Yankees currently lead the AL East by 1/2 game over the Baltimore Orioles with a 23-13 record, as of Wednesday. With a playoff race in sight, it makes sense that the Yankees will look to add players that could give them the edge by the July 31 trade deadline.
At the MLB’s owners’ meetings, Steinbrenner told the Associated Press of the Yankees intentions:
"“We’re going to see where we’re at, what options are available and what those options would cost.”"
While the Yankees expect to acquire players, Steinbrenner added that trades won’t come at the expense of the team’s top prospects. This makes sense since the team has a ton of young talent moving up the ranks. The most notable player is Gleyber Torres, a shortstop currently playing with Double-A Trenton. He was voted the top player in the Arizona Fall League last year. Their farm system is ranked second in Major League Baseball, according to Baseball America.
Young talent, like Aaron Judge and Gary Sanchez, has given this team a chance at a playoff run.
The Bronx Bombers are known for constantly looking for new talent. Last season, they acquired for Aroldis Chapman, while trading away Andrew Miller and Carlos Beltran. Also, they added top prospects for the future, such as Torres, pitcher Justus Sheffield, and outfielder Clint Frazier.
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Pitching is an obvious area of need for the Yankees. Both CC Sabathia and Michael Pineda will be free agents during the offseason. Also, Pineda and Luis Severino are the only starters who have an ERA under 4.00.
The AL East leaders are poised to make the playoffs after missing them three of the last four seasons. Steinbrenner believes adding more pieces is the best way of bolstering their playoff hopes.