The New York Yankees have holes to address at the trade deadline next month, but there is another spot they could look to upgrade, which isn't necessarily viewed as a pressing area of need.
According to SNY's John Harper, the Yankees may be looking for a catcher at the deadline this year after the Boston Red Sox ran all over them on June 16 with nine stolen bases in one game.
Now veteran Jose Trevino had been putting together a solid season with the bat until recently, as he has gone ice cold, hitting .095 in his last seven games and .190 in his past 15. Per Baseball Savant, he is the best catcher in baseball in terms of framing pitches, but has lost arm strength behind the plate and has struggled to throw runners out on the base paths, posting -3 below average in catcher's caught stealing, which ranks 54th in the league.
Trevino, 31, was an All-Star with the Yankees in 2022 and won the Gold Glove Award and Platinum Glove Award in that same year. But a down campaign last season ended prematurely due to right wrist surgery, and it has likely hindered his ability to throw out base stealers.
Young catcher Austin Wells has served as Trevino's backup, but the 24-year-old has yet to get anything going consistently on offense in 45 games, posting a .205 average and .608 OPS with just two home runs. Behind the dish, Wells ranks ninth in MLB in framing, but is -2 below average in catcher's caught stealing (47th).
The Yankees could potentially trade for a first baseman and move top prospect Ben Rice back to his natural position at catcher. However, if Rice adjusts to playing first, which the Yankees are hoping will be the case, they could instead target a catcher.
Colorado Rockies catcher Elias Diaz, who is playing on an expiring deal for a non contender, is the hottest name out there, as he is having a strong season offensively, slashing .303/.352/.439 with a .791 OPS in 55 games. He ranks fourth in framing and ninth in catcher's caught stealing as he is two above average.
GM Brian Cashman could call up Colorado about Diaz and try to package him with star third baseman Ryan McMahon in a blockbuster trade, thus killing two birds with one stone. The Yankees are thin on pitching depth in the minor leagues, but they could possibly try to use top prospect outfielder Spencer Jones as the main piece in a deal.
As long as Juan Soto re-signs with the Yankees, the Bronx Bombers would be set in the outfield for many years to come with the 25-year-old superstar, team captain Aaron Judge and youngster Jasson Dominguez. So packaging Jones in an all-in season makes sense despite his potential.
Catcher isn't a top priority given the Yankees' needs in the bullpen and corner infield spots. However, a trade for Diaz and McMahon would increase New York's World Series odds this year.
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June 25, 2024 at 10:15PM
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Could Yankees Swing This Blockbuster Trade With NL Club to Upgrade 2 Areas of Need? - Sports Illustrated
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