5 big trades the Yankees can make to become World Series favorites

1.  Francisco Lindor

The MLB rumor mill is already ablaze with rumors linking the Yankees to Cleveland’s All-Star shortstop. It’s easy to understand why New York would like to add a dynamic piece like Lindor to their corps. It’s tougher to understand why the Indians would entertain the idea of moving him.

Projecting any sort of Lindor deal requires two assumptions. First, the Indians must make an organizational decision that they need to rebuild. That doesn’t mean Cleveland will tear everything down to the studs, but it does mean they’ll try to flip a few established stars for a wave of young talent that can sustain the franchise for years to come.

The other assumption that must be made is that the Yankees are willing to come close to gutting the farm system to make a deal happen. Cashman has some depth at his disposal, but the Indians are going to be looking for high-quality players in any potential Lindor trade.

This sort of deal is a real long shot, but it’s definitely not impossible. Lindor is the type of unique talent that can transform the Yankees from serial playoff team to a franchise capable of ushering in a World Series dynasty.

Yankees fans shouldn’t get their hopes up, but if a Lindor deal does get some traction, it will probably require Cashman to part with several Top 10 prospects.