It’s protected to say, the primary half of the Yankees season has not gone to plan.
As it stands right here on the All-Star break, the Bombers are on the skin wanting in on the playoff image. Aaron Boone’s membership is one sport again of the Toronto Blue Jays for the third AL Wild Card spot and sit in fourth place within the AL East.
Luckily for the Yanks, reinforcements determine to be headed their manner. Slugging famous person Aaron Judge (toe) is constant his rehab and All-Star Nestor Cortes (shoulder) continues to progress as effectively.
However, GM Brian Cashman can in poor health afford to take a seat on his arms and await the return of his stars — or gamble on the sudden emergence of one in all his struggling veterans reminiscent of DJ LeMahieu, Josh Donaldson or Giancarlo Stanton.
Trade season is true across the nook — Aug. 1 deadline — and whereas the Bombers have already begun to shake issues up by firing hitting coach Dillon Lawson and bringing in former large leaguer Sean Casey to exchange him, upgrades on the precise diamond are vital in the event that they need to recast the glimmer of hope for a twenty eighth World Series championship.
Here are three potential targets for the Yanks on the commerce deadline:
CODY BELLINGER, OF, CHICAGO CUBS
Cody Bellinger made it fairly straightforward to color the image of what he might appear like within the Bronx this previous weekend. The outfielder was 3-for-10 with a protracted, lengthy 410-foot homer within the Cubs sequence victory over the Bombers this previous weekend.
The 2019 NL MVP is having a little bit of a resurgent season — after struggling from 2020-2022 with the Dodgers (.648 OPS) — on his one-year, $12 million prove-it deal he inked with the struggling Cubs (42-47) this offseason.
Bellinger — the son of former Yankee Clay Bellinger — is slashing .298/.355/.491 with 9 homers and 29 RBI. All three of his slash numbers would rank second on the Bombers behind solely Judge.
The underlying offensive metrics, nevertheless, are a bit suspect. The 27-year-old is within the sixth percentile in baseball in Hard Hit% and eleventh in common exit velocity suggesting some luck for the slugger this season.
The Yanks are in determined want of a left fielder and Bellinger is amongst the very best defensive outfielders in baseball — ninetieth percentile in outs above common. Between his offensive numbers, defensive prowess and tradeable contract, Bellinger is a sensible goal to don the pinstripes this season.
LARS NOOTBAAR, OF, ST. LOUIS CARDINALS
This is the place issues might get a bit costlier. The St. Louis Cardinals (38-52) have been nothing in need of horrific this season, regardless of getting into the yr with World Series aspirations.
The RedBirds have a plethora of outfielders — even buying and selling one to the Yankees final season on the commerce deadline (Harrison Bader) — and Nootbaar doubtless owns the best commerce worth as he isn’t arbitration eligible till 2025 making him a first-rate candidate to be moved on Aug. 1.
The worldwide famous person — after his championship run with Japan within the World Baseball Classic — is slashing .259/.358/.382 with 5 homers and 25 RBI this season.
While the numbers don’t bounce off the web page at you, his baseball savant web page may be very straightforward on the eyes. Nootbaar sits within the 58th percentile in hard-hit share and registers close to league-best BB% (92nd percentile) and chase price (97th percentile). The left-handed hitter can also be a prized defender rating within the 81st percentile in outs above common.
Nootbaar might convey components to the Bombers that they’ve been lacking this season such pretty much as good protection and the power to get on base (twenty sixth in staff OBP forward of solely the Tigers, A’s, White Sox and Royals).
However, the query of Nootbaar’s availability and the Yankees’ willingness to pay the value will likely be one thing to look at for as we wind all the way down to August.
JEIMER CANDELARIO, 3B, WASHINGTON NATIONALS
Third base has been one other black gap for the Yankees this season. LeMahieu has vastly underperformed (.220/.285/.357) and Donaldson’s (.152/.232/.465) leash is getting shorter by the day.
Jeimer Candelario is nearly sure to be traded by the Nationals (36-54) on the deadline. The 29-year-old is on a one-year deal he signed this previous offseason and has had a little bit of a breakout season.
The switch-hitter is slashing .261/.337/.478 with 13 homers and 43 RBI this season.
Cashman will doubtless discover all avenues to enhance one of many worst offenses within the league and with scarce commerce chips throughout the minor-league system, low cost rental choices like Candelario are gamers to keep watch over, whatever the place they play.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com