MLB Rumors: 5 Yankees most likely to be traded this offseason

The Yankees don’t have a fortune to spend in free agency. That makes a trade featuring one of these five players a likely move for Brian Cashman.

Brian Cashman and the Yankees front office are going to evaluate every possible avenue to improve Aaron Boone’s roster this offseason. The global pandemic may limit the team’s offseason spending in free agency. That means trades may be more important than ever for the Yankees this year.

The organization does not want to mortgage their future by flipping high-end prospects for established, high-priced stars. Instead, look for New York to try to move some guys on their current major league roster for players who can provide Boone more value in 2021.

Yankees fans should keep a close eye on the status of these five stars before next season begins.

5. Clarke Schmidt

There’s a chance Schmidt could break into the team’s starting rotation in 2021, but don’t be surprised if the Yankees are hesitant to give both he and Deivi Garcia that kind of responsibility next year. That raises the possibility that Schmidt could move to a team ready to hand him that type of role.

Remember, the former first-round pick is already 24-years-old. He no longer fits the age profile of a prospect. He needs to make an impact at the major league level now if he wants to really progress his career.

The Yankees do hold him in high esteem. They will not include him in any trade that doesn’t bring back a high-end talent to the Bronx. It’s possible Cashman could swap Schmidt for a younger prospect with a higher ceiling, but it’s more likely that he’d look to find an established regular at a position of need.

Schmidt probably won’t be on the move this offseason, but he is not an untouchable player from the Yankees perspective. He’s absolutely a guy that could be included in a deal for a difference-maker.