The MLB calendar is inching closer to the trade deadline, one of the busiest periods of the year. Some teams try to bolster their current roster. Others will look to upgrade their farm system. For the New York Yankees, It’s yet unknown what owner Brian Cashman might do.
Cashman recently spoke to media and expressed his frustation with the team’s performance. He also said he wants to “build a contender, not a pretender”. He might be looking to add pieces before the deadline, but one thing is clear: the Yanks need to trade Cuban closer Aroldis Chapman as soon as possible.
We get it, some Yankees fans might be mad at us for saying that. But Chapman is not likely to be more than a rental, and it’s not like New York lacks depth on the back of the bullpen. Joe Girardi has Andrew Miller (5-0, 1.30 ERA) and Dellis Betances (2-4, 2.82 ERA) as options in case Chapman is gone. Considering their presence, it’d be better to trade Chapman while he still has value.
In case Chapman is available, there will be plenty of suitors asking for his services. It’s hard to see a lock-down closer who can consistently reach 100 mph being available, and most contenders could use that kind of firepower in a late-inning role. He would likely command a huge haul, but the Yankees need as many prospects as they can get. Their farm system was ranked 14th before the start of the 2016 season.
New York, however, needs to upgrade the current roster with position players. Veterans such as Carlos Beltran, Alex Rodriguez and Mark Teixeira will eventually retire, and there aren’t a lot of possible replacements at the Triple-A or even Double-A level that could make an immediate impact on the franchise. Perhaps two decent prospects and two position players close to being major-league ready will do the trick.
Cashman is known for being aggressive, but he isn’t going to give away Chapman either. He will likely leverage and accept the best offer available.
The San Francisco Giants, the Chicago Cubs and the New York Mets are some of the NL teams that could need him. The St. Louis Cardinals could use him as well, especially after the recent struggles from Trevor Rosenthal. Basically any team in the majors could add him, and he would improve any bullpen instantly.
The final word, however, is on Cashman and the Yankees management. If they suddenly go on a winning streak and climb near the top of the standings there’s no chance they’ll trade their star closer. But if they realize they will be out of contention, they should be smart and part ways with Chapman. It might not be a popular move, but that would be the best thing for the franchise’s future.