Key Points
Bullet point summary by AI
- A key AL team faces mounting injury concerns that threaten their playoff hopes this season.
- Their starting rotation depth is now in serious doubt with multiple starters sidelined and no clear replacement plan.
- One trade target could address both pitching and catching needs while forcing a rival to decide whether to prioritize future assets over current contention.
The New York Yankees' summer from hell somehow found a way to get worse on Friday, when the team announced that it had placed Carlos Rodon on the IL due to what it's calling left elbow inflammation. It's unclear how long the lefty might be out until he undergoes further testing, but suffice to say that midseason arm injuries are never a good sign.
This is just the latest in what's become an almost comical rash of injuries, with Aaron Judge, Max Fried and Giancarlo Stanton still on the shelf and the likes of Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Trent Grisham missing time in recent weeks. Unsurprisingly, that's taken a toll on the field, where New York has lost seven in a row and 10 of its last 13 to fall five games back of the Tampa Bay Rays in the loss column in the AL East. What seemed like the best shot at a World Series title in the Judge era to date is now threatening to go up in flames before we even hit the All-Star break.
Brian Cashman was under enormous pressure to act at the trade deadline even before Friday's news. But with Rodon's status for the rest of the season (not to mention October) now up in the air, a big swing is even more imperative. The starting pitching that was the Yankees' bedrock now appears to be cracking, with Rodon and Fried out and Gerrit Cole suffering through a bumpy return from Tommy John surgery. Luckily, this weekend's opponent, the Minnesota Twins, could offer a solution — and not just in the rotation.
Carlos Rodon injury could force Yankees to go above and beyond for Joe Ryan
Minnesota increasingly looks like an ideal trade partner for New York — assuming, that is, that they decide to sell at all. Tarik Skubal will be hands-down the best pitcher available this summer, but what are the odds that the Yankees can beat out the Los Angeles Dodgers for his services? Assuming they can't, Ryan is the clear plan B, one of the steadiest starters in the game who's pitched to a 3.60 ERA or better in each of the past three seasons.
It also just so happens that the Yankees are in the market for help at catcher, where Austin Wells has collapsed and New York is lacking right-handed options. Minnesota could be tempted to flip Ryan Jeffers before he hits free agency this winter, so why wouldn't New York try to kill two birds with one stone? The cost would be steep, from a proven big-league starter with several years of team control remaining in Warren to two legit pitching prospects in Rodriguez and Hess. But the Yankees are officially in desperation mode, while the Twins might find this too much value to turn down.
Would the Twins make this trade for Joe Ryan?
If Twins fans are rolling their eyes right now, I can't say I blame them. Yes, their team is just 42-46, but that's good enough for third place in the AL Central and three games back of the final AL Wild Card spot. Plus, Minnesota's front office has reiterated multiple times that they have no interest in a fire sale.
Still, reality has a way of setting in as the trade deadline looms. And the reality is that the Twins can't seriously be considered a contender capable of winning multiple postseason series. It's also hard to see a path to that place as early as 2027, considering the uncertainty around this team's finances right now. So why wouldn't they flip Jeffers before they lose him for nothing, and Ryan while his value is at its highest with multiple playoff runs remaining?
If that is the path the Twins decide to go down, this deal could go a long way toward remaking what's been a sketchy rotation behind Ryan. Warren has already proven himself a capable fourth starter with the potential for more. Rodriguez was a top-100 prospect entering the year, and Hess has that caliber of stuff if he can refine his command at Double-A. Add in Avina, in the midst of a breakout season in Double-A right now, and you have the potential for several core, cost-controlled pieces for years to come.
Verdict: Yes
Why the Yankees need this trade for Joe Ryan
If there ever were a time for Cashman to throw caution to the wind and push his chips in, it's this summer. Judge, Cole and Co. aren't getting any younger. The AL will never be more wide-open. You don't know how many cracks at the World Series you'll get with this core, and it's hard to have a lot of confidence in New York's chances moving forward without some serious help at the deadline.
Skubal is no doubt the dream target, but it's hard to see that as realistic given how many other teams will be in on him and how loaded L.A.'s farm system is with pieces that the Tigers will likely want. The Twins have two perfect fits in Ryan and Jeffers, and if you can land them both without touching top prospect George Lombard Jr., you have to think long and hard about it. Things have gotten bad enough that pleading patience simply won't cut it anymore.
Verdict: Yes
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