Yankees Urged to Swiftly Sell off Parts Ahead of MLB Trade Deadline

The New York Yankees are facing the reality that they are below average without Gerrit Cole and Aaron Judge, and their record in the AL East is disappointing. They need to focus on building for the future rather than making questionable trades.

In the midst of MLB's trade deadline approaching, there was a notable silence coming from the Yankees' front office. This silence was reflected in Aaron Boone's lineup on Monday night as well. However, this doesn't mean that the Yankees are giving up on the season entirely. They understand the importance of not wasting Gerrit Cole's prime during a potential Cy Young award season, as well as the impact Aaron Judge can have on dragging a team to October.

At the 106-game mark, the Yankees, with a record of 55-51, must face certain realities. They are below average when Cole is not pitching and when Judge is out of the lineup. Within the highly competitive AL East, they have a 14-20 record, and teams like the Rays and Orioles, with significantly lower payrolls, are outperforming them. It may be necessary to make some changes to the roster, bringing in players like Oswald Peraza, Estevan Florial, and Randy Vasquez, while also hoping that Anthony Rizzo, DJ LeMahieu, and Carlos Rodon can live up to their salaries.

However, sacrificing prospects to improve the current Yankees roster may not be the best approach. The executive suites at Yankee Stadium may be realizing this fact. It's disheartening to see the team struggle, especially when rookie Jhony Brito, who replaced German in a late switch, gave up four home runs in four innings while the Yankees' lineup only managed three hits and struck out 12 times. This poor performance continued in their previous game against the Baltimore Orioles.

When asked if the Yankees have done enough to warrant a big trade boost, Judge simply stated that he wants to win. He emphasized that whatever helps the team become better and closer to winning is what matters. The trade deadline may bring changes, but the focus should be on winning.

Before the game, the Rays made a trade with Cleveland to acquire starter Aaron Civale, who has a 2.34 ERA. This move strengthens their rotation. The Chicago Cubs decided to keep Cody Bellinger, a potential offensive threat that could have helped the Yankees in 2023. The Angels, another team on the fringe, are making bold deals to fortify their injury-battered team and become a true wild card contender, possibly to convince Shohei Ohtani to stay beyond this year.

Would it be worth trading the Yankees' best prospects for Juan Soto, even if the Padres considered it? These are the types of conversations Boone has been having with Cashman daily. However, after the game, Boone emphasized that the team needs to play better for anything to change.

Judge expressed his frustration with the lack of consistent traffic on the bases and the team's inability to come through when they do have opportunities. He believes adjustments need to be made, at-bat to at-bat. While he has been paying attention to the trades made by contenders, he understands that the team cannot focus on the moves being made or not made.

Reflecting on the 2023 season, Judge mentioned how the Yankees struggled early on, going 15-14 and falling eight games back by May 1. He believes that the first month of the season is crucial and that the team needs to bring their best from opening day. However, other teams got ahead, and the Yankees have been playing catch-up ever since.

Instead of chasing after questionable upgrades through trades, it may be time for the Yankees to make deals that contribute to a better future for the team.