While it’s tempting to lean into the Manny Machado buzzsaw, the Yankees are also looking at the thing they need most: Starting Pitching.
A lot has been made about Manny Machado this trade season, specifically the recent hype that he could be heading to New York. The idea that the Yankees would trade their assets for a guy in a position they don’t need to fill is a bit mind-boggling, if not a total throwback to vintage Evil Empire-ness.
The reason for the asbursdity of the Machado-to-Yankees rumors is that the biggest hole in New York’s World Series dream is starting pitching. Sonny Gray has been an abonimation, and has flubbed numerous shots at redemption. Of course, all it takes is one good start in October to redeem himself, but that’s not a gamble the Yankees are in a position to take.
For fans worried the team isn’t focusing on the right area of need, faith shouldn’t be totally questioned yet. As the trade deadline approaches, the Yankees are reportedly looking at one of the New York Mets starting pitches (not the two you’re thinking of).
A Yankees-Mets trade still seems quite unlikely. But the Yankees have recently inquired about Zack Wheeler, who has pitched better of late. Since June 1, he has a 3.44 ERA for the Mets. Perhaps, it’s just due diligence.
— Marc Carig (@MarcCarig) July 12, 2018
Both Jacob deGrom and Noah Syndergaard have been linked to the Yankees, but so too has every reasonably reliable starter on the trade market. There’s a chance a Subway Series deal is pulled off but it sounds far more likley that it won’t include the Mets top two aces.
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Wheeler isn’t chopped liver, as he could step in and provide the Yankees with a sturdy anchor to its rotation. It would also be a lot cheaper to trade for Wheeler than it would be for either deGrom or Syndergaard, and especially Machado.