Here are some trades the Yankees can make to trigger everyone

The Yankees are concerned about the asking price of prominent free agents. As such, these trade targets are gaining traction with Brian Cashman.

Brian Cashman is clearly investigating every possible option to improve the Yankees roster this winter. Much of the talk has centered around the team’s free agency plans, but it’s equally likely a trade could net the Yankees the top player they can acquire this offseason.

The question for the organization is whether they want to use prospects or dollars to try to close the gap with the Red Sox. The early asking price of several big name free agents have slowed the market down considerably. That’s opening up a key window of time for teams to work on potential blockbuster trades. The Yankees are right in the middle of those talks.

These five players are the biggest potential targets for Cashman and company at the moment. No deal is imminent, but things can change in an instant this time of year.

5. Paul Goldschmidt

Admittedly, this move is pretty unlikely. Cashman has made it clear to reporters that the organization expects Luke Voit and Greg Bird to battle it out for the first base position in 2019. Even so, it would be unwise to rule out a move entirely.

If the Diamondbacks do make it clear they want to move on from the right-handed slugger, the Yankees will at least make a phone call. This is a classic situation where New York could wait in the wings and try to swoop in late to acquire a quality player at a discount price.

No matter how you feel about Voit, Goldschmidt would provide the team with a clear upgrade. He did, after all, post a WAR of 5.4 in the desert last year. It would be better if he were a left-handed bat, but beggars can’t be choosers. Keep the idea of Goldschmidt moving to the Bronx in the back of your mind as the winter progresses.