Fansided

Yankees made the right move standing pat at the deadline

By Tre LyDay

NEW YORK, NY - AUGUST 01: Brian Cashman, general manager of the New York Yankees, talks during a press conference before a game against the New York Mets at Citi Field on August 1, 2016 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - AUGUST 01: Brian Cashman, general manager of the New York Yankees, talks during a press conference before a game against the New York Mets at Citi Field on August 1, 2016 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images) /
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The MLB trade deadline has come and gone and the Yankees didn’t make any big trades, leaving fans scratching their heads.

The last time the Yankees held a division lead like this heading into the trade deadline was in 2015. That season the Yankees flamed out and were ran down by the Toronto Blue Jays in the AL East.

The Blue Jays aren’t catching the Yankees this time around, and it’s not likely that the Yankees will be caught by the Red Sox or the Rays either, given their eight-game lead over Tamba Bay heading into Wednesday night. That being said, Yankees fans would have loved for general manager Brian Cashman to acquire a front line starter at the deadline.

There are a handful of reasons why Cashman didn’t and wasn’t able to acquire an ace on Wednesday, and all of the reasons are valid. Internally, there’s reason for optimism as well. The Houston Astros acquired Zack Greinke at the last moment and it definitely didn’t sit well with Yankees fans. The Astros had the luxury of not being on Greinke’s no-trade list, while the Yankees were on his list, and there was reportedly no chance of him signing off on a deal to New York. The Astros also had to part with their third, fourth and fifth-ranked prospects, and it’s doubtful that Cashman would make that kind of deal.

As for the other starters on the market like Trevor Bauer, Noah Syndergaard and Zack Wheeler, the reasoning is simple: The price was too high. There was a feeling around the league that the Mets could flip Marcus Stroman, and the Yankees tried that route, but the Mets were asking for a price higher than what they paid for Stroman.

Knowing that prices were too high and that Cashman tried every avenue to acquire someone, it’s all right that the Yankees stayed pat. It wouldn’t make sense to completely overpay for a rental like Wheeler or a starter with only one more year of control like Stroman or Bauer. The Yankees were willing to deal top-prospect Deivi Garcia and outfielder Clint Frazier for Syndergaard, but the Mets were in all reality never going to deal him to the Yankees.

It would have been irresponsible for the Yankees to make a trade just for the sake of making one. Fortunately for New York, help is on the horizon internally. Dellin Betances and Luis Severino are making their way back from injury and should rejoin the staff in late August or early September. There is also the possibility of Jordan Montgomery making his way back this season as well.

Next. Astros make biggest splash at the deadline acquiring Zack Greinke. dark

The way pitching is structured during the postseason, teams need a good bullpen to have success, and the Yankees have one of if not the best in baseball. If Betances and Severino are both able to return and contribute at the level they’re capable of, that alone would be the equivalent to a deadline deal. The team also could continue to fast track Garcia to the big leagues.

Brian Cashman and the Yankees didn’t drag their feet at the deadline. They did what they could, and ultimately made the smart decision by not being drastic and making an irrational decision. The Yankees still have what it takes to win a World Series, they just need guys to get healthy again.

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