Manager Aaron Boone has gone out of his way to support the idea that Anthony Volpe is the present and future shortstop of the New York Yankees. Recent reports indicate that GM Brian Cashman and his staff might not share the same certainty regarding Volpe's role with the team.
Noah Hiles of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports that officials with the Yankees checked in with the Pirates on the availability of shortstop Oneil Cruz ahead of the MLB trade deadline. He also suggests that New York is just one of many teams who have made inquiries regarding the dynamic 26-year-old.
It is important to note that Cruz is playing in centerfield for the Pirates these days. He's logged significant time at shortstop in prior seasons though. The Yankees do not have an obvious hole for him to fill in their outfield so it's reasonable to assume they are looking at him as a shortstop. Volpe's recent high-profile struggles do make the idea of replacing him more possible with every passing day.
It's widely believed that Pittsburgh wants to hold on to Cruz ahead of the deadline while dealing some of their other prominent veterans. Ke'Bryan Hayes is a potential candidate to fill the Yankees' hole at third base. Reliever David Bednar is also going to draw serious interest ahead of the deadline.
It still should no surprise fans if the Yankees make a strong offer for Cruz to test just how committed the Pirates are to keeping him in the fold. The right offer could yield a surprising new shortstop option for Boone and his coaching staff.
https://x.com/_NoahHiles/status/1948405207257227520
Would trading for Oneil Cruz be a good move for the Yankees?
Trading for a talent like Cruz is almost always a good idea for an ambition franchise like the Yankees. In particular, his versatility could make him a solid piece of th team's core for years to come.
The idea of Cruz coming in and playing shortstop immediately has clear appeal. Volpe could really benefit from an opportunity to spend some time on the bench to clear his head. That might allow him to get back in the right head space to help the Yankees make a lengthy postseason run.
Cruz could also profile as a player who might help solve the Yankees' outfield issues in future seasons. Both Trent Grisham and Cody Bellinger could be playing their baseball elsewhere in 2026. It is easy to envision a scenario where Cruz slots into Grisham's role in center field next year. That sort of future planning would allow the Yankees to consider trading outfield prospect Spencer Jones in the coming days.
Cruz's status as one of MLB's most effective base stealers could also inject some much-needed life into the Yankees' offense. Stylistically he's a great fit to help the Yankees now and in the future.
But can the Yankees afford to deal for Oneil Cruz?
This is the more relevant question for the Yankees to consider. The Pirates rightly see Cruz as a player they can build around ready to offsell to kickstart yet another rebuild. If they are going to trade him in the next week they will need to receive multiple elite prospects to consumnate the trade.
The Yankees' reluctance to part with either George Lombard Jr. or Jones at the deadline could make it impossible for the two sides to agree on a package. The only reasonable alternative would be for the Yankes to include more quantity than quality in terms of prospects.
That might require New York to effectively gut the pitching side of their farm system. Guys like Carlos Lagrange and Ben Hess could whet Pittsburgh's appetite. They might also demand to see Cam Schlittler be included to make a deal work.
The Yankees cannot afford to let Schlittler go unless they bring in a new starter at the deadline. His ability to give them decent innings now with some future projection in his game make him a must keep for Cashman.
The other complicating factor in a Yankees deal for Cruz is that they have too many other holes to fill before they lock in their final roster for the playoff push. Third base is a massive hole that weighs down the offense. The bullpen also needs at least one quality addition if they're going to hold leads in the middle innings.
What will happen with the Yankees and Oneil Cruz?
The Yankees might try to lowball the Pirates with a middling offer for Cruz but the Pirates will likely turn that down and reexamine potential trades in the offseason. Things might change if New York wants to blow Pittsburgh away with a package of elite prospects but it's hard to see Cashman doing that for a player who isn't a bona fide superstar.
The two franchises might choose to revisit talks on Cruz in the offseason but don't expect to see a quick trade materialize. Both franchises have more pressing issues to pursue in the coming days.