4. Trevor Story becomes the Yankees shortstop
Story hasn’t been linked with the Yankees in the same fashion as Lindor, but his fit with New York is very similar. He’s slated to hit free agency after the conclusion of the 2021 season as well. If Colorado can’t ink him to a long-term extension, they need to explore trading him while they can still receive maximum value in return.
It’s very easy to understand why the Rockies would be interested in a player with Judge’s skillset. There’s no telling how many home runs he can club through the thin air at Coors Field. A corner outfielder doesn’t have the same positional value as a shortstop, the Rockies would be tempted by Judge’s combination of on-field talent and off-field star power.
The Rockies would also need to add a little more to this deal to make it work. Story is a year older than Lindor so theoretically, New York would get less of his prime years after any potential trade. The Yankees can’t realistically expect to get another proven major league regular in the deal, but a top-10 prospect would likely do the trick.
Again, the Rockies would be paying for the privilege of saving money for an additional season here. It’s not a home run deal for Colorado, but Judge’s ability to hit them at a prodigious clip would push the transaction over the top.