Yankees should bring star back by swinging trade with AL East rival

Chad Green was a fixture at the back end of the New York Yankees' bullpen for seven seasons in the Bronx. Brian Cashman and his front office should strongly consider stepping up to make a deal with the Blue Jays that can bring him back to New York.

Toronto isn't going anywhere this season and is ready to do business with a number of veterans. Their preference is to deal impending free agents instead of cornerstone pieces like Vlad Guerrero Jr. or Dante Bichette.

Green still has another year left on his current contract that will pay him $10.25 million in 2025. The Blue Jays would prefer to hang on to him but the Yankees need to test the resolve of their AL East rivals. Green would give manager Aaron Boone's bullpen a much-needed experienced option to help get the ball to closer Clay Holmes.

Of course, officials in Toronto will not be in any hurry to strengthen a team inside their own division. If they do elect to part with Green their preference will surely be to ship him to a team they won't need to face that often. The Yankees will need to make the strongest offer by a significant margin if they want to bring Green back into the fold.

Parting with a quality prospect like Jorbit Vivas should be enough to get a trade done. He is New York's No. 15 overall prospect and he's already playing solid baseball in AAA. The fact that he can also play second and third base adds to his value as a potential piece of the Blue Jays' next contending team.

Some might criticize the Yankees for making this sort of deal but Vivas doesn't project as anything more than an average regular at the major league level. That's why the Yankees can afford to make this deal for a high-quality reliever. Green may be close to the end of his career but his 1.57 ERA in 23 appearances this season shows he's ready to help New York compete for a World Series title this season.

The odds may ultimately be stacked against Toronto sending Chad Green back to his former team but it's a trade call the Yankees should be making. He's just the sort of veteran who can help every member of Boone's bullpen be slotted in their appropriate place.