The New York Yankees have been the most active team in the days leading up to the MLB trade deadline, acquiring OF Austin Slater from the Chicago White Sox on Wednesday in their third trade of the last week. Slater joins infielders Ryan McMahon and Amed Rosario as the Yankees' newcomers, giving New York another solid bat to integrate into the depth chart.
Next up on the docket for Brian Cashman is clear: a huge boost to the pitching staff. Improving the rotation is "on the to-do list" for New York, per MLB.com. The Yankees could also use another high-leverage reliever while they're at it.
Why not kill two birds with one stone in the same trade? The Miami Marlins are prepping for their annual July fire sale and boast some of the most intriguing available pitchers. New York won't be able to cheap out, but after stockpiling three playable bats for a relatively modest price, Cashman still has the assets necessary to splurge on a couple high-impact arms.
Here's what it would take for the Yankees to acquire RHP Edward Cabrera and RHP Anthony Bender from the Marlins in one fell swoop.
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This Yankees-Marlins trade brings Edward Cabrera, Anthony Bender to New York
The Yankees add two big-time arms in Cabrera and Bender. Starting depth behind Max Fried and Carlos Rodón has been a problem all season with Gerrit Cole out of commission. Cabrera, 27, is enjoying his best season to date with a 3.35 ERA and 1.23 WHIP in 94.0 innings. Bender, meanwhile, ranks among the best closers in the National League with a 1.83 ERA and 0.97 WHIP in 44.1 innings.
Beyond the immediate talent influx, the beauty of this trade for New York is the influx of controllable pitching. The Yankees have been understandably reluctant to touch their best prospects, but Cabrera is arbitration-eligible through 2028. Bender is through 2027. Both would stack multiple postseason runs in the Bronx before the Yankees need to think about re-signing them.
That is why this is probably the best path forward for New York. There are other premium pitchers floating around the marketplace, such as Arizona's Zac Gallen or San Diego's Dylan Cease. But those are stars in walk years, which dramatically decreases the odds of New York keeping them around long term. Cabrera and Bender can step in and anchor the Yankees pitching staff for years to come.
Yankees won't get Edward Cabrera and Anthony Bender without giving up a haul
New York has to make this worth Miami's while, of course. The Marlins are under no pressure to trade controllable pitchers with the team competing better than expected this season. Miami isn't too far away from competing for a postseason spot again. Cabrera especially still has untapped potential; Bender's value is quietly up there with the best relief arms on the market.
Bryce Cunningham, New York's No. 5 prospect, immediately becomes the next pitching focal point of the Marlins farm system. The 22-year-old is a few years away from his MLB debut, but Cunningham is producing consistently against High-A competition. He has a strong three-pitch arsenal with a bendy high-90s fastball, a top-notch changeup and a rapidly progressing slider.
Rafael Flores, New York's No. 8 prospect, gives the Marlins another catcher to develop after the Nick Fortes trade. The 24-year-old might join Miami's lineup full-time by next season. He generates consistent hard contact and has no trouble cranking hits over the left field wall as a righty with pull tendencies. He can also move to first base if Miami sticks with Augustín Ramírez behind home plate.
Last but not least is Thatcher Hurd, New York's No. 21 prospect. He works predominantly with a mid-90s fastball and a mid-80s slider. He needs to work on expanding his arsenal, but Hurd already has the makings of a top bullpen arm at 22 years old.