Yankees maintain their conservative trade policy

The Yankees might make a move prior to the trade deadline, but don’t expect Brian Cashman to give away one of the team’s prized prospects.

There’s no question the Yankees’ chances of winning a World Series this season would be greatly enhanced by a big time acquisition ahead of the trade deadline. Don’t expect such a move to materialize though. Brian Cashman is committed to making sure his team is competitive for the next decade, not just through October.

In other words, Cashman remains committed to the conservative trade policy he’s followed over the past few seasons. He will not be sending out talented, young prospects unless he’s able to get a massive haul in return. Specifically, the Yankees won’t deal anything of significant value for a player they view as a rental.

That doesn’t mean the Yankees are sitting still. Expect Cashman and the rest of the front office to evaluate a number of option before the trade deadline arrives. Typically, the team will look at two different types of potential deals.

The first type, and best-case scenario would be to make a large deal for an All-Star caliber player who is controllable for multiple years. Think of a pitcher like Madison Bumgarner. He would obviously change the complexion of the AL East if he arrived in the Bronx. The Giants would also certainly demand a massive return for such a talented pitcher.

For this kind of return, the Yankees would be willing to deal premium prospects. Players like Justus Sheffield, Estevan Florial and Clint Frazier would absolutely be on the table. The only question would be how many pieces would need to be included to make a deal work. Cashman certainly has his own idea about how much each young player is worth, but it would simply come down to finding the right value to swing this type of transaction.

The second, and much more likely move, would be to see the Yankees make a move to improve the fringe of the roster. That could net a replacement level starting pitcher to stabilize the rotation, but it’s more likely going to be another arm to strengthen the bullpen.

The Yankees aren’t going to part with high-end prospects to make this kind of incremental improvement. Instead, if all Cashman can do is marginally improve the bullpen, look for AAAA prospects or lesser known players at lower levels of the system to be included. This wouldn’t be a sexy move for Yankee fans, but it could be important as the postseason nears.

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Expect the Yankees to be linked with a myriad of players between now and the end of July. Just don’t expect Cashman to suddenly change his trading philosophy the week before the deadline. He’s going to stick to his guns and continue to hoard young talent. Some fans won’t like that reality, but it’s the right move for the organization’s long-term health.