We haven't even made it to the World Series yet, but that doesn't mean that MLB's silly season can't come a little early. Jon Heyman got the rumor mill started on Wednesday afternoon, when he dropped a doozy of a nugget on his Bleacher Report live stream: that the New York Yankees were apparently willing to make George Lombard Jr. available in trade talks involving Colorado Rockies catcher Hunter Goodman.
Right away, Yankees fans were quick to point out that this didn't really pass the smell test. No doubt New York engaged Colorado about Goodman, given how desperate they were for catching help at the deadline. But the word throughout was that Brian Cashman wouldn't part with his top prospect — and there's no reason to think otherwise now, just because Heyman speculated as much months after the fact. Sure, Goodman is a good player who had a career year in 2026, but his swing-and-miss issues and short track record of offensive production were very real red flags.
Just because Goodman isn't a compelling enough player to warrant moving Lombard Jr. doesn't mean that nobody is, though. The Yankees need to make serious changes to their lineup after another early postseason flameout, and with a relatively down free-agent class, Lombard Jr. looms as one of their most likely paths to acquiring impact talent. So: Who should New York actually be willing to move their young shortstop for? Here are six names at the top of our list.
Why Ronald Acuña Jr., Mason Miller don't make the list
First, let's address a couple of names you won't find on this list. Acuña Jr. and Miller are arguably the two most enticing potential trade candidates of the offseason, and it's not completely implausible that one or both could be available for the right price — the former's relationship with the Atlanta Braves seems awfully strained right now, while the latter is a reliever on a team that needs help elsewhere on the roster (and might not have a ton of money to acquire it).
Unfortunately, neither makes a ton of sense for the Yankees as things currently stand. Acuña Jr. is an electric talent when he's healthy and locked in, but New York already has plenty of defensively challenged corner outfielders, and they also have plenty of players who have a ... let's say "loose" relationship with the fundamentals of the game. Miller would fit on any roster, but do the Yankees really have the luxury of blowing a hole in their infield for a closer?
INF CJ Abrams, Washington Nationals
It's hard to tell just how committed the Nats are to Abrams, a two-time All-Star at a premium position with two more years of arbitration remaining but with questions about his defense as shortstop and his attitude. But the Yankees could mitigate the latter by shifting him to second or even third base; Anthony Volpe as your everyday shortstop is much more palatable with Abrams' bat in the lineup.
Abrams would add some much-needed dynamism to New York's offense, while also filling a need for another impact infielder. Giving up Lombard Jr. for him might seem like solving one problem while creating another, but the upgrade is considerable enough that Cashman would at least have to seroiusly consider it.
C Shea Langeliers, Athletics
Austin Wells went a long way toward redeeming his awful start to the season with a very strong finish (ALDS base-running gaffe notwithstanding). That said, his cold spells at the plate, plus his almost total inability to hit left-handed pitching, means the Yankees should look for upgrades if available. A Langeliers/Wells platoon might be a bit rich, but if the A's would go for Wells and Lombard Jr. as the center of a package for his services, it's hard not to get excited about the difference his bat could make in this lineup. He was on a prodigious pace before a knee injury waylaid his 2026 campaign; stick him behind Ben Rice and Aaron Judge, and you'd have arguably the most fearsome trio in the AL.
2B Ketel Marte
The argument for Marte is similar to the argument for Abrams, except he's older and comes with much more team control on a pretty friendly contract. Again, putting a legitimate star next to Volpe up the middle would change the feel of this infield dramatically, especially if they pay Ryan McMahon to go away and replace him with even a remotely passable third baseman.
And Marte is the sort of supplementary star that this lineup desperately needs. There are very few bats better than him that can reasonably be expected to be available this winter; if giving up Lombard Jr. is what it takes, well, the window is right now.
LHP Reid Detmers
Of course, bats aren't the only option on the table. It might seem like this is overkill for a Yankees rotation that was among the very best in baseball in 2026. But Gerrit Cole, Max Fried and Carlos Rodon is a ticking time bomb, all of them well into their 30s and all with lengthy injury histories. If New York doesn't stay one step ahead, they could get burned.
And if you're going to add to the rotation, it should be somebody with plenty of upside and team control. Detmers checks both of those boxes and then some; putting him behind your big four would allow you to get flexible with Ryan Weathers and Will Warren without overtaxing them as they were at times in 2026. If you can't find a star bat to add, just try to win with run prevention.
RHP Logan Gilbert
Gilbert is a more established name than Detmers, and he isn't a lefty. But he neutralizes left-handed hitters very, very well, and he's not as reliant on T-Mobile Park as other members of the Mariners rotation. It feels like he still has one more level to unlock, and Matt Blake is just the man to help him get there. Plus, you can't put too much value on a bridge beyond Cole, Fried and Rodon.
SS Jeremy Peña
This would need to come with a contract extension, given that Peña is entering his final year of team control. And maybe that extension is a pipe dream, given that his agent is some guy named Scott Boras. But Peña is a very underrated player, a slick defender at short with elite speed and more upside at the plate to unlock if he can start lifting the ball in the air more consistently. If the Yankees decide they can't wait for Lombard Jr., Peña offers more certainty and the ability to lock down the top of the order right away.
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