With the Winter Meetings right around the corner, the Hot Stove is heating up.
The Yankees are expected to make big changes this offseason, and they need two outfielders — at least one has to hit lefty — and starting pitching. Outfielder Cody Bellinger and Japanese ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto, among others, have been heavily linked to the Bombers in free agency.
As for the trade market, Juan Soto is the cream of the crop. The Cardinals also have a handful of outfielders who meet the Yankees’ needs, while the Giants have Mike Yastrzemski. The Guardians and Brewers could take calls on Cy Young winners Shane Bieber and Corbin Burnes, and the Yankees may reinforce other parts of their roster with smaller deals.
Of course, one has to give to get on the trade block. With that in mind, let’s look at some major league-ready players the Yankees could trade, starting with three pairs.
CLARKE SCHMIDT AND MICHAEL KING
While their ceilings and potential are not necessarily equal, Schmidt and King are being grouped because they’re both young, controllable, relatively cheap righties who received their first extended looks as big league starters in 2023. The two had pitched in the majors previously, but mostly as relievers.
Schmidt had a whole season to work with, making 32 starts while recording a 4.64 ERA. While he struggled mightily early on, he found a groove mid-season and demonstrated that he belongs in a rotation.
King, meanwhile, talked himself into the Yankees’ rotation toward the end of the season as injuries piled up. What initially began as an experiment yielded exciting results, as King logged a 1.88 ERA with 48 strikeouts over his final eight starts and 38.1 innings. King, who was still building up at the start of that stretch, went at least five innings in four of his last six starts.
King has also been a dominant weapon out of the bullpen, giving him some added versatility. Schmidt comes with more years of control, though. The two may need their workloads managed in 2024, but they’re still enticing trade chips.
JHONY BRITO AND RANDY VÁSQUEZ
Brito and Vásquez are also young, controllable righties who are starters by trade but have pitched in relief. They’re just not nearly as experienced as Schmidt and King.
Both were rookies in 2023, and they pitched to mixed results. Vásquez was better as a starter, while Brito looked stronger in relief, though the samples were small.
Either pitcher could assume King’s relief role if he’s in the Yankees’ rotation or on another team. Or they could be traded for a role player or included in a larger package.
KYLE HIGASHIOKA AND BEN RORTVEDT
The Yankees have six catchers on their 40-man roster. Someone has to go, if not multiple people.
Jose Trevino and Austin Wells are projected to make the big league club out of spring training, making Higashioka and Rortvedt trade candidates. Higashioka is the team’s longest-tenured player, but he is in the final year of arbitration and offers a little pop, strong defense and a modest salary at a weak position in the sport. Rortvedt also impresses with the glove and comes cheap.
Rortvedt became Gerrit Cole’s personal catcher as the ace secured his first Cy Young Award, but that job belongs to Trevino when healthy. Trevino missed most of the second half due to wrist surgery.
He’s expected to be ready for spring training, but the Yankees could hold on to Rortvedt and/or Higashioka until they know that Trevino is in the clear.
GLEYBER TORRES
Torres was the Yankees’ best hitter who stayed healthy all season in 2023, and they need to add offense, not subtract it. So any trade involving Torres shouldn’t be executed until the Yankees are certain that they can upgrade their lineup.
With that said, Torres is one of the better second basemen in the league, and he is projected to make over $15 million in his final year of arbitration. Trading Torres could help the Yankees upgrade elsewhere while shedding payroll, and they have younger infielders, like Oswald Peraza, who can handle second base (or third if DJ LeMahieu takes second).
EVERSON PEREIRA
Pereira didn’t impress after being called up in August, striking out far too often while failing to homer in 27 games. While he swings lefty and plays left field, the Yankees need a sure thing out there. Pereira is not that.
But Pereira still has value in a trade package. He was a top-100 prospect before the season, had a huge year between Double-A and Triple-A, and can play all three outfield positions. Only 22, Pereira has the tools to be a productive big leaguer. He just needs more seasoning.
IAN HAMILTON
Hamilton was one of the Yankees’ best relievers in 2023, breaking out to the tune of a 2.69 ERA over 58 innings. The righty battled multiple groin strains, but he spent a full season in the majors for the first time in his otherwise unlucky career.
As good as Hamilton was, the Yankees have a knack for finding bullpen bargains (he’s a perfect example of one). If the Yankees want to test their skills in that department again, they could deal Hamilton while his value is at a premium. He’s pre-arbitration eligible, won’t be a free agent until the end of the decade, can pitch in multiple roles and doesn’t have many miles on his arm.
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November 30, 2023 at 10:18PM
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Major league-ready players the Yankees could trade this winter - New York Daily News
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