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MLB Trade Deadline Rumors: 5 trades Yankees should make

By Nicholas Ian Allen

ARLINGTON, TX - JULY 04: Yu Darvish #11 of the Texas Rangers throws second inning against the Boston Red Sox at Globe Life Park in Arlington on July 4, 2017 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Rick Yeatts/Getty Images)
ARLINGTON, TX - JULY 04: Yu Darvish #11 of the Texas Rangers throws second inning against the Boston Red Sox at Globe Life Park in Arlington on July 4, 2017 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Rick Yeatts/Getty Images) /
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OAKLAND, CA – JUNE 30: Sonny Gray #54 of the Oakland Athletics (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
OAKLAND, CA – JUNE 30: Sonny Gray #54 of the Oakland Athletics (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) /

2. Trade for Sonny Gray and Yonder Alonso

Some trades make perfect sense. The two biggest needs facing the Yankees are starting pitching depth and first base. Even after the acquisition of Todd Frazier, who can play first, and the talk of Opening Day third baseman Chase Headley switching positions to play first, going after A’s slugger Yonder Alonso is the best option available.

Alonso has been one of baseball’s best breakout performers this season, putting together an All-Star performance that includes 21 home runs through his first 85 games. Alonso had never hit more than nine homers in a season over the course of his seven previous big league campaigns, so his power surge is one of the great stories of the season. The 30-year-old has also put together a .273/.373/.556 slash with 45 RBI and 49 runs scored. Alonso’s (new and improved) left-handed swing would be the perfect fit for Yankee Stadium.

Teammate Sonny Gray is perhaps the most highly sought after player on the trade market today. Gray is 6-4 with a 3.36 ERA and 3.37 FIP in 19 starts this season. The 27-year-old right-hander has struck out 85 hitters in 91.0 innings, giving him 8.4 strikeouts per nine innings this season – an improvement over his previous four previous years in which he posted no better than 7.5 K/9.

Gray’s bounce back from a rough 2016 is a great sign, and being under team control through 2020 is a huge bonus to whatever team is able to land him. Alonso will be a free agent at the end of the season.

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