Yankees: 5 under-the-radar trade deadline candidates
By Drew Koch
3. The Yankees could trade for Victor Robles.
While the New York Yankees have enjoyed a great deal of team success thus far in 2022, one player who’s fallen woefully short of expectations has been centerfielder Aaron Hicks. Posting an OPS of just .560, Hicks looks hopelessly lost at the plate.
While his on-base percentage is above .300, his slugging percentage is not. Hicks has just two extra base hits in 120 at-bats. You read that right: two! Even Isiah Kiner-Falefa has a higher slugging percentage.
Enter Victor Robles, who is playing for the hapless Washington Nationals. The Nats are going nowhere fast. While designated hitter Nelson Cruz and first baseman Josh Bell may well be Washington’s biggest trade chips, Robles could be on the move as well.
The 25-year-old is under team control through 2024, and with a price tag of $1.65M, his defense alone is a bargain. Robles hasn’t been a big offensive threat since he finished sixth in the Rookie of the Year voting in 2019, but at this time, even he’s an upgrade over Hicks.