3 emergency Yankees trades to make before end of All-Star break after Fried injury

All-Star pitcher Max Fried struck fear into every New York Yankees fan’s hearts on Saturday afternoon, leaving a 5-0 loss to the Chicago Cubs after three innings with a blister on his left hand.

As of publication, the Yankees hadn’t announced if Fried will need an injured list stint. At least his injury comes only days before the All-Star break, and Fried had previously announced he won’t participate in Tuesday’s All-Star Game.

Fried’s blister problem is a harsh reminder that the Yankees must acquire another starting pitcher in the coming weeks. Although Carlos Rodón deserves credit amid his best Yankees season, he can’t carry a Fried-less rotation.

Here are three pitchers we believe the Yankees should pursue ahead of the July 31 trade deadline.

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3. Jose Quintana, Milwaukee Brewers

The thought of Quintana in pinstripes isn’t new, as it feels like he’s been linked to the Yankees for years. Despite not joining the Brewers until early March, Quintana owns a 3.28 ERA and 48-31 K-BB ratio over 71 1/3 innings. 

Quintana should come cheap, partly because he is cheap; he’s owed less than $2 million the rest of the season. Milwaukee can also afford (pun not intended) to part ways with Quintana, given rookie phenom Jacob Misiorowski’s sudden emergence.

One concern: Quintana’s diminished strikeout-to-walk ratio is troubling, and his 3.9 walks per nine is his highest since 2021. Could that potentially scare the Yankees away?

2. Luis Severino, Athletics

The time has come to bring Severino back to New York — and to be clear, we mean the Bronx. Although Severino also makes sense for the crosstown Mets, whom he pitched for last season, we think the Yankees must pursue a reunion with their former ace.

The 31-year-old Severino cashed in last offseason, signing a three-year, $67 million deal with the lowly Athletics. However, Severino all but officially requested a trade last month, citing his frustrations pitching at Sutter Health Park. Indeed, the two-time All-Star is 0-9 with a 6.68 ERA in 12 home starts, and 2-2 with a 3.04 ERA over eight road starts.

If asked, both sides would probably admit that Severino’s best days are likely behind him. He’s several years removed from being an elite starter who notched consecutive top-10 Cy Young finishes in 2017 and 2018. With that said, Severino has experience pitching in New York, and he left the Yankees on good terms.

Besides, it’s not like the A’s can afford (pun not intended) to be picky. Severino has a sizable contract, and he doesn’t want to pitch in Sacramento anymore. Their approach should be simple: if you want him, you can have him. 

1. Zac Gallen, Diamondbacks

Gallen and teammate Eugenio Suárez are frequently mentioned in trade talks, and for good reason. Suárez remains one of the league’s most potent home run hitters, entering Saturday with 29 blasts, putting him well on pace for his second 40-homer season.

Let’s talk about Gallen, who owns a 5.15 ERA and 107-43 K-BB ratio in 100 innings. Gallen’s numbers aren’t exciting, his 3.5 walks-per-nine is his worst since 2021, and he’s slated to hit free agency this offseason.

All of those reasons are precisely why the Yankees should take a chance on him, even if they can’t acquire Suárez in the same trade. Arizona might need to accept a lesser package for the 2023 All-Star, and the Yankees have enough mid-tier prospects who should intrigue the Diamondbacks. Trust us: Gallen shouldn’t cost the Yankees either Spencer Jones or George Lombard Jr., and that alone makes a potential trade worth it.