The Tuesday Discussion: Buy or Sell?

July 9, 2024

***

This week we asked our writers the following:

Should the Yankees be buyers or sellers at the deadline?

Here are their responses...

***

Derek McAdam - I think if the Yankees are going to be buyers at the deadline, they should put their focus into one specific area. And if they will buy, I think boosting the bullpen is the way to go. 

When it comes to the offense, who is out there that the Yankees could actually acquire? Cody Bellinger could be a nice acquisition, but how much would it take to get him? It’s Also tough to say if he will opt-out of his three-year contract after the first season, and the Yankees would be gambling with the amount of talent they would have to send over to the Chicago Cubs.

If the Yankees could acquire a couple of bullpen arms, and maybe even one starter, I think they would be in much better shape. However, I still think it is slightly too early to determine what they should do at the trade deadline. 

***

Lincoln Mitchell - The Yankees need to be buyers. They are all but guaranteed a playoff spot and cannot squander what might be the one year they have both Juan Soto and Aaron Judge. To be clear, I would like to see then retain Soto at any cost, but there is no guarantee that will happen. The Yankees not only need to buy, but they need to buy big. Adding a few middle relievers would be nice, but nice in the way that a meal voucher is nice after your flight has been delayed. The Yankees need to add three productive players with at least one being a position player and one being a pitcher.

***

Paul Semendinger - I am getting so frustrated with this team that I almost want them to sell.

People talk about the Yankees long streak of .500 or better records and state that this demonstrates a commitment to excellence. It might, in some ways, but it also represents a satisfaction with mediocrity. At some point being good enough to fail in October (or earlier) year-after-year just isn't fun. Watching the team have long miserable stretches every season isn't fun. Watching poor fundamentals (the same poor fundamentals) over and over isn't fun. At times being a Yankees fan today feels like being Sisyphus always pushing the same rock up the hill, but never getting to the top.

But, all that being said, I believe 2024 is the last chance for the Judge/Cole Era to win big. There are too many holes on the team in 2025. If the Yankees flounder, there would be no reason for Juan Soto to stay. This is it. This is the last chance. It's time for the Yankees to go big, HUGE, and make moves that make them the favorite going into October.

Will that guarantee a championship? Of course not, but the "Let's hope we get hot" approach also hasn't worked. Go big or go home. Flags fly forever and this is the last chance for this group to experience the joy of winning it all.

***

Mike Whiteman - The Yankees are a .600 team on the July 4th weekend. 

***

Tim Kabel - I think the Yankees need to be buyers but only for younger, productive players. They also need to rid themselves of players like Gleyber Torres and DJ LeMahieu. 

***

Ed Botti - Preferably,  both. But they need to be shrewd, and very systematic.

They should absolutely be buyers to strengthen the bullpen and add a lefty bat to DH, PH, infielder,  as top priorities (Bryan Reynolds my first choice).  They need at least one swing and miss reliever, and a back end reliever would really help.  I like Holmes in a set up role, not as closer (never have). In the event that a reasonably priced third basemen is available, I would also consider it, but that is a long shot since current demand exceeds supply.  Since they moved 10 pitching prospects in the offseason,  I would have to be overwhelmed with an offer to move more farm system arms. "Farm system arms" being the operative words.

Additionally,  including Jones and/or  Dominguez are deal breakers for me since the 2025 outfield is at this point a long shot to look like the 2024 outfield. They will need both of them, IMO.

Since this team has many holes, emptying the farm system to go for it in 2024 by only adding a couple of marginal players is inadvisable, which brings me to sellers. 

If they can not secure proven bullpen help, I would be open to moving Gleyber Torres. Yes, that is a drastic ,  but i doubt they will retain him. His value isn't at its highest (why I was for moving him last winter) but I would get what I can, especially since extending the qualifying offer to him does not seem realistic. A combo of Cabrera and DJLM should be able to hold the position.

Now the shrewdness comes in.

I would also entertain offers for either Rodon or Stroman, if they were somehow able to work a seperate deal for a 4 or 5 starter, and Schmidt's medicals look good. This team needs more than just a few added pieces,  they need a shake up.

A lot would have to fall into place to do so. But, isn't that why they retained their GM for his 26th season? If he is such a remarkable deal maker and talent evaluator, he should be able to put the puzzle together. Now is his time to shine.  Can he do it? We will see very soon! If he can't,  then what exactly are they doing?

As far as Vlad Jr. goes I would stay as far away as possible.  Rice looks like he can fill that position,  and adding another "I, me, mine" showboat is the last thing they need. If Toronto wants to move him, you have to ask yourself why? Personally,  I believe Schneider and Ross Adkins have had enough of him. 

***

Cary Greene - Whatever championship window the Yankees have is propped open by a piece of straw right now. Speaking of Straw, a bat like Darryl Strawberry's would really help the Yankees right now. I believe the Yankees should be buyers at the Deadline this year - as making the playoffs as a Wild Card team is in reach and for that matter, the American League East is far from settled as there is a lot of baseball left to play. 

The Yankees should look to add at least one bat, two relievers and possibly a starter. I wrote an article on this yesterday - here's an excerpt from it: "Though the Yankees have baseball’s top offense against right-handed pitching (.779 OPS), they rank 17th against left-handed pitching with a below average .702 OPS. All signs therefore point to Cashman making a surprise Deadline move as he looks to acquire a low cost right-handed slugger who can consistently pummel left-handed pitching." While the Mets are still very much in the Wild Card race, if they fade a little bit in the next several weeks, the Yankees should target J.D. Martinez if he becomes available. Doing this would provide insurance in case Giancarlo Stanton can't make it back. 

In my article I also said: "I’ve written that Cashman and the Yankees will also likely be on the hunt for high leverage bullpen help as the Deadline approaches. Looking at what the likely Deadline sellers have to offer, the team that figures to have the most Deadline rumors swirling will probably be the Marlins and the Yankees will likely have high interest in their lefty closer, Tanner Scott, who I’m hoping is far and away Cashman’s top target as the deadline approaches"

There are tons of other options out there besides Scott and Martinez - but the reason I chose them is that each is the perfect fit to balance this team out and make it ready for a World Series run. Fans old enough to remember the impact that acquiring David Justice in 2000 from Cleveland had on the Yankees playoffs push. Of course, the Yankees gave up a fair return, Jake Westbrook, Zach Day and Ricky Ledee, but it was oh so worth it wasn't it! Brian Cashman should look to make a similar trade this year, looking to add an impact bat. 

I like Ben Rice at first base vs right-handed pitching, but in my article yesterday I kind of nailed it regarding the Yankees' vulnerability to left-handed pitching. Rice has struggled against lefties, so the Yankees have to figure out what to do there and with all the returning firepower that will hopefully trickle off the DL and impact the roster, the Yankees don't need to make a lot of moves, they just need to make the right moves. 

Barring an unforeseen Deadline deal with a contender, I think the eight likely teams doing the selling will all be looking for prospect packages and they'll be likewise looking to unload players on expiring contracts, so we're probably talking about a rental player centric market developing at the Deadline this season. Because of this likelihood, making a lot of deals and trading away too many significant prospects isn't advisable. Also, targeting players who are uber valuable is also not a great idea for the Yankees, as the farm system isn't exactly loaded with expendable talent and from all indications, Hal wants to cut payroll next season.

Therefore, Cashman is caught between a rock and a hard place, but he absolutely needs to push the right buttons at the Deadline if the Yankees have any hopes of ending the Championship drought that's presently gripping the franchise. 

***

Andy Singer - Buy, buy, buy, then buy some more. Any talk of selling at this juncture ignores the reality of the Yankees' roster situation. We are at the end of a closing window: Judge's prime. Cole might yet find his form, we still have Soto for the remainder of the year, and as bad as the team has been, there are still pieces here that can right the ship and be difference makers if they get some help.

We have evidence that Aaron Boone is not the guy to pull the team up out of tough times; find someone who can and then go get roster pieces that can help the core challenge for a World Series.