The Yankees have acquired OF Terrance Gore from the Kansas City Royals in exchange for cash considerations. Gore is not being placed on the 40-man roster at the moment and will report to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

The Yankees have acquired OF Terrance Gore from the Kansas City Royals in exchange for cash considerations. He is not on the Yankees’ 40-man roster, and will report to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

— Yankees PR Dept. (@YankeesPR) July 17, 2019

Gore can be a liable asset on the base paths, which could be helpful in October.

Gore played 37 games with the Royals, hitting .275/.362/.353 with 13 stolen bases and a 92 OPS+.

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Encarnacion has flat-out mashed in Seattle. He leads the American League in homers with 21 and has put up a healthy 139 wRC+, 12th best in the AL, right ahead of Luke Voit. Any contender in the AL could use a slugger like this, even the Yanks, who are about to be flooded with OF/1B/DH types. Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton should be back soon, causing an obvious logjam with Encarnacion’s arrival. How many teams would love a ‘problem’ like finding playing time for hitters like Judge, Stanton, Voit and Encarnacion?

My best guess right now? Clint Frazier is headed down to the minors or out via trade and Brett Gardner slides into a fourth-outfielder role. Stanton and Judge are likely playing the outfield almost every day, while Voit handles first and Encarnacion DHs. There will be days where Encarnacion sits and someone else DHs, though; what a luxury to have.

While we wait to see how the front office addresses the shaky starting rotation, the offense has grown even stronger.

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The Yankees were getting a 28-year-old MVP outfielder coming off of a 59 homer season. On top of it, they didn’t have to surrender any top major league or minor league players in the deal. Sure, Starlin Castro was a solid second basemen, but 21 year old phenom Gleyber Torres was waiting in the wings.

It was a matter of when, not if, Torres would take Castro’s job. Despite the trade being a slam dunk for the Yankees, what if there was a younger, better, cheaper outfielder from the Marlins that was also available at the time?

Christian Yelich

Team Fit

Since the trade

Hindsight is 20-20

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According to Jack Curry of the YES Network, the Yankees and Hicks agreed to a seven-year, $70 Million extension with a club option for an eighth season. The extension is slated to start this season and the team is expected to address the Hicks extension later today.

Aaron Hicks has agreed to a 7-year, $70M extension with the Yankees. The team will announce the extension later today.

— Jack Curry (@JackCurryYES) February 25, 2019

With a $10 Million AAV, the Yankees were able to secure Hicks on a team-friendly deal while providing security for the outfielder. Hicks and Severino’s extensions combined ensured the Yankees would only spend $110 million on two quality players.

Following the Severino extension, the team expressed interest in potential extensions with players such as Aaron Judge and Dellin Betances.

After the Severino extension, Cashman said he was interested in possible extensions with other players. Now Hicks is locked up as the CF of the present and the future.

— Jack Curry (@JackCurryYES) February 25, 2019

While the Yankees have yet to reach an extension with Judge and Betances, Cashman added there were no timetables for any discussions.

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Update, Jan. 21, 5 p.m. By Richard Kaufman

The Sonny Gray era in New York is over, as the Yankees have finally struck a deal to send the 29-year-old righty to the Cincinnati Reds in a three-team trade.

According to Jeff Passan of ESPN, the Seattle Mariners are sending CF prospect, Josh Stowers, to the Yankees in exchange for Shed Long, who was traded from Cincinnati to New York for Gray. The Yankees preferred Stowers in the end, most likely because he does not need to be added to the 40-man roster. Long required a 40-man roster spot.

Shed Long to the Mariners and Josh Stowers to the Yankees is done, league sources tell ESPN.

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) January 21, 2019

The New York Yankees announced today that they have acquired OF Josh Stowers from the Seattle Mariners in exchange for 2B Shed Long. https://t.co/d6nxOOPSss

— New York Yankees (@Yankees) January 21, 2019

The Yankees’ deal with the Reds was contingent on Cincy signing Gray to an extension. With the window to complete a deal shrinking, it appeared as if the Yankees were ready to pivot elsewhere. But Gray and the Reds were ultimately able to come together on a three-year, $30.5 million extension, according to Ken Rosenthal.

Gray extension with #Reds complete, per source. Three years, $30.5M, covering 2020-22. Club option for ‘23 at $12M. All salaries can grow based on numerous escalators. Plus $500K of innings pitched bonuses each year.

— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) January 21, 2019

Stowers, 21, spent 2018 in Low-A Everett in the Northwest League. Over 58 games, Stowers hit .260/.380/.410 with five homers and 28 RBI to go along with 20 stolen bases. According to MLB Pipeline, Stowers ranked as the Mariners’ 10th best prospect.

From MLB Pipeline:

[Stowers] began his career in the Class A Short-Season Northwest League after signing for slightly below slot at $1.1 million.

Stowers took off once he smoothed out his right-handed stroke and took a more direct path to the ball. He’s at his best when he tries to hit line drives to all fields, and while he isn’t a power hitter, he has enough pop to produce 12-15 homers per year as a pro. Stowers has an extremely patient approach and a knack for stealing bases.

Scouts give Stowers solid-to-plus grades for his speed, yet there’s mixed opinion on whether he can stick in center field at the next level. It’s essential that he does so to profile as a regular, because he doesn’t have the power to profile on a corner. Stowers’ below-average arm will push him to left field if he can’t stay in center.

Previous update, Jan. 21, 12:15 p.m. By Richard Kaufman

The trade that would send Sonny Gray to Cincinnati is in limbo. The Reds have a limited window to come an extension agreement with Gray, and with the deadline looming, the Yankees could possibly engage other suitors. Stay tuned for updates.

According to a source, there is no agreement yet on an extension between the Reds and Sonny Gray. Still several hours left to come to a deal (though it’s unclear whether it’s a 5pm or midnight deadline). If no extension gets done, Yankees could pivot to a trade with another team.

— Mark Feinsand (@Feinsand) January 21, 2019

According to a source, the Yankees had Gray deals with other clubs in place Friday, so if the Reds aren’t able to come to an extension with the pitcher, those trades could come back into play.

— Mark Feinsand (@Feinsand) January 21, 2019

Original story, Jan. 19

Brian Cashman made it abundantly clear at the end of the season post-mortem press conference that Sonny Gray‘s tenure as a Yankee was at its breaking point, and the Yankees general manager has finally found a suitor. According to Jon Heyman, the Yankees and Reds are finalizing a deal that would send Sonny Gray to Cincinnati with the Reds’ No. 7 prospect Shed Long, a draft pick and a lesser third piece, going back to the New York.

Yankees, Reds are finalizing the Sonny Gray trade. infield prospect Shed Long and a draft pick are expected to go to NY, and possibly a 3rd lesser piece. Long is an excellent hitter, fair defender. Just need to cross t’s, dot i’s (ie medicals, 40-man considerations, etc.)

— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) January 20, 2019

At one point, there was over ten teams interested in Gray’s services — mostly small markets. Experts believe Gray will regain his confidence absent from a large market such as the Yankees. With that being said, there was still considerable value for the 29-year-old, especially for the Reds. Gray ends his Yankees tenure going 15-16 with a 4.51 ERA (4.40 FIP) and a 1.41 WHIP over 195.2 innings pitched.

As for the Yankees return, Long played 126 games at the Double-A level last season. He slashed .261/.353/.412 with 12 home runs and 56 RBI. The 22-year-old also participated in the Arizona Fall League, slashing .241/.333/.310 with eight RBI in 19 games.

Long is an offensive minded second baseman, and his glove is still catchup up to his potentially powerful bat. Her is an excerpt from his MLB.com scouting report:

“Long’s left-handed bat is his calling card. Despite his 5-foot-8 frame, Long has shown the ability to consistently impact the baseball. The power is legitimate, coming from outstanding bat speed and very quick hands. He does strike out some, but his walk rate went up in 2017 and he’s shown a willingness to use all fields. Possessing average speed at best, Long is an aggressive baserunner who swiped 21 bases in 2016, though that number decreased to nine in 2017. A catcher when he first began his pro career, he moved to second in 2015, allowing his bat to take off, and he’s worked to become an adequate defensive infielder.”

The third piece has yet to be announced, although Long and a draft pick seems like a fair return on the surface.

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Unless you have been living under a rock, you’ve probably heard the Yankees made a significant trade last night by acquiring Zach Britton from the Baltimore Orioles.

The Yankees had to give up Dillon Tate, who many scouts see as a future reliever, Cody Carroll, a relief prospect, and Josh Rogers, an organizational starter. While giving up young talent is usually hurtful for most teams, the Yankees have a glut of young pitching prospects ahead of these guys, so they won’t skip a beat. Tate and Rogers had to be added to the 40 man roster at the end of the season, or they would be lost to the Rule 5 draft. Instead, the Yanks traded them and won’t have to make that decision. Let’s examine the impact of Zach Britton and what he can potentially do for this team.

The Yankee bullpen, even without Britton, has easily been the best in baseball this season. They currently lead baseball with 6.7 WAR. The next closest team is the Padres(!) with 5.1 WAR. Collectively, they have a 2.75 ERA, 11.53 K/9, 3.27 BB/9 and a 77.7% strand rate. They are simply a dominant group, perhaps one of the best ever. The starters that are available via trade are underwhelming, so Brian Cashman and his team decided that shortening the game even more would be helpful. Imagine this scenario; Yankees are in Game 3 of the ALDS. CC had been cruising, but is now in trouble in the 4th or 5th. The Yankees can bring in a fireman reliever, such as David Robertson, to get out of the jam. They would still have Jonathan Holder, Chad Green, Dellin Betances, Zach Britton, and Aroldis Chapman to close out the game. Good luck, American League.

Britton had an Achilles injury earlier this season, so his first appearance didn’t come until June 12th. His inflated 3.45 ERA (for his standards) is mostly due to one blow up outing on June 22nd. Out of his 15 other appearances, he had only given up an earned run in one of them. It took Britton a little while after his injury to look like “himself.” The below graph illustrates this. His velocity has been trending in the right direction since July 1st.

Not quit to his 2016 days, but we don’t need that version of Britton, although it would be nice. Britton had an unbelievable 0.54 ERA that season.

Britton has also been getting more whiffs per swing this season, as opposed to his injury plagued 2017 season. If his whiff percentage stays in line with his 2016 numbers, he may be able to rattle off quite a few impressive outings. Britton was never really a big strikeout guy, mostly because sinkers aren’t strikeout pitches, but the amount of whiffs he gets is still an important indicator to his effectiveness.

Something else to note on Britton that I think is quite unique; he has a career 64.8% ground ball rate. This can be useful if the Yankees get into a situation where they absolutely need to get a ground ball out, or a double play ball. We’ve talked about how dominant the Yankees pen already is, but they really aren’t ground ball guys. Chapman leads the current group with only a 47.1% ground ball rate. I can see the Yankees utilizing Britton’s sinker in trouble spots for that reason.

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Ahead of Monday’s doubleheader against Detroit, the Yankees recalled Clint Frazier from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre to fill the 26th spot on the club, according to George King of the New York Post.

Clint Frazier will be the Yankees’ 26th man for Monday’s DH in Detroit. The outfielder was scratched from SWB’s lineup on Sunday

— George A. King III (@GeorgeAKingIII) June 3, 2018

According to a rule enacted prior to the 2012 season, teams are permitted to carry a 26th man to fill an extra roster spot. This rule, which was featured in Major League Baseball’s Collective Bargaining Agreement of 2011, was carried out in an attempt to provide relief to ball clubs participating doubleheaders.

These days, the Yankees have no shortage of quality depth in the Minor Leagues and will not struggle to find talent in the lower levels to fill an extra roster spot.

Frazier, 23, was with the team for a brief period after bring recalled on May 15, but was sent back down due to the Yankees’ latest roster crunch.

Frazier will likely be dealt the same fate after the Tigers series, unless the club opts to demote either a bullpen arm or perhaps the struggling Tyler Austin.

Red Thunder has one hit in only two at-bats this season, and sports a career .235 average with four home runs and 17 RBI.

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Earlier today, the Yankees released LHP Oliver Perez from his Minor League contract. MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch was the first to report the transaction.

The Yankees have released LHP Oliver Perez.

— Bryan Hoch (@BryanHoch) June 1, 2018

Perez was originally signed to a Minor League Deal by the Yankees in late March, but never appeared in a ballgame for the Big League club.

In fifteen appearances for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, Perez went 1-0 with a respectable 2.92 ERA.

Over the course of 12.1 innings pitched, the lefty struck out thirteen batters, but surrendered fourteen hits and three walks in his time with the RailRiders.

Perez sports a career ERA of 4.64 to go along with a record of 69-84.

The well-traveled lefty specialist has played for seven Major League teams throughout his fifteen years in the Show, and will look to latch on to another club in hopes of earning a spot on a Major League roster.

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Following today’s 10-1 victory over the Royals, the Yankees announced they have optioned Clint Frazier to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

Roster Move: Following today’s game, the Yankees optioned OF Clint Frazier to @swbrailriders.

— Yankees PR Dept. (@YankeesPR) May 20, 2018

Frazier was recalled just five days ago prior to the recent three game series in Kansas City.

The 23-year-old’s latest stint in the Big Leagues was brief as the outfielder appeared in only one game for the Bombers, collecting one hit in two plate appearances.

Frazier holds a career .235 batting average with four home runs and 17 RBI in parts of two seasons with the Yankees.

With the impending return of both Greg Bird and Brandon Drury, the Yankees will need a pair of open roster spots to accommodate both players.

Although sending Frazier down makes the process easier, the team must figure out where Bird and Drury fit sooner rather than later. Considering the amount of depth on the current roster, the front office will be forced to make some tough decisions in the coming days.

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Prior to a brief Senior Circuit matchup with the Washington Nationals, the Yankees announced the team has recalled Clint Frazier from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand sent out the following tweet:

Source confirms Clint Frazier will indeed join the Yankees in DC today. With NL rules in play, he gives the Yankees an extra position player.

— Mark Feinsand (@Feinsand) May 15, 2018

The 23-year-old outfielder has been tearing the cover off the ball as of late, hitting .362 with three homers and four RBI in twelve games for the RailRiders.

To the disappointment of many Yankee fans, Frazier’s promotion may very well end up a temporary one, as they need an extra guy off the bench. Since the pitcher is required to hit in National League ballparks, Frazier may simply be utilized as another piece to shore up the bench.

“Red Thunder” was determined to earn a spot on the Major League Spot during Spring Training, but his mission was halted when he ran into a wall and suffered a mild concussion. He has yet to play for the Yankees this season, but based on his recent performance in the Minors along with some cryptic tweets, Frazier looks ready to be unleashed.

Frazier, along with Justus Sheffield and a pair of bullpen arms, were originally acquired by the Yankees two season ago, when they dealt Andrew Miller to Cleveland in a trade deadline blockbuster.

The young outfielder has yet to showcase his full potential as he appeared in just thirty-nine games for the Bombers, hitting .231 with four home runs and 17 RBI.

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Today the @Yankees agreed to terms with RHP David Hale on a minor league contract. He will report to the @swbrailriders.

— Yankees PR Dept. (@YankeesPR) May 1, 2018

Hale appeared in one game for the Yankees back on April 23, working two innings and giving up no runs. After he was designated for assignment, the 30-year-old signed with the Twins, where he also made one appearance. He gave up four runs in three innings pitched.

In 183.2 career innings in the Bigs, Hale owns a 10-10 record with a 4.56 ERA.

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The Gleyber Torres Era is about to begin in the Bronx.

According to YES Network’s Jack Curry, the Yankees will promote their No. 1 prospect to the big leagues in time for Sunday’s series finale against the Blue Jays at Yankee Stadium. Curry previously reported that Torres had been pulled from the Railriders’ game early on Saturday, signaling that perhaps a call-up was imminent.

Source: Gleyber Torres will be promoted and will join the Yankees on Sunday. So the Gleyber Era will begin.

— Jack Curry (@JackCurryYES) April 21, 2018

Torres, 21, has hit the ground running in Triple-A Scranton this season, hitting .370/.415/.543 with a homer, 11 RBI, three doubles and a triple in just 13 games entering play on Saturday.

Torres was obviously in the mix to make the big league team out of spring training, but he admittedly pressed in camp as he came back from Tommy John surgery on his left elbow and he was sent to Scranton to begin the season.

Although the Yankees likely won’t admit it, service time also played a factor in Torres starting the year in Triple-A. As long as Torres was called up to the big leagues after April 18, the Yankees would have him under team-control for an extra year.

It will be interesting to see how the Yankees use Torres. They wanted him to play mostly third base in Scranton, but with the emergence of Miguel Andujar recently and the possibility of Brandon Drury returning soon, Torres could likely see action at second.

Neil Walker has been a big disappointment so far, and Tyler Wade has looked like the 2017 version of himself in the early going. Ronald Torreyes has been a hit machine, but the feeling is the Yankees want to keep him in his current utility, jack-of-all-trades role that he’s excelled in since the Yankees signed him.

Regardless, Gleybermania is about to run wild in the Bronx, as the Yankees look to get on a roll and live up to the expectations that were placed on them heading into the 2018 campaign.

Stay tuned for more updates as they become available.

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The Yankees have brought back veteran Adam Lind on a Minor League deal. He will report to the team’s Player Development Complex in Tampa on Thursday for extended spring training.

The 34-year-old was with the Yankees during spring training, hitting .200 with one RBI in five games before being released on March 14.

Source confirms: Yankees have finalized a new minor-league deal with Adam Lind.

— Chris Cotillo (@ChrisCotillo) April 18, 2018

The team has been getting little to no production out of first base so far this season. Greg Bird has yet to suit up, Neil Walker is hitting .173, and Tyler Austin (.262) will be appealing a five game suspension starting Thursday. Lind brings a veteran presence and some stability to a position which appears to be a black hole for the Bombers.

As a bench player for the Nationals last season, Lind hit .303/.362/.513 with 14 homers and 59 RBI across 116 games. He had a .980 fielding percentage and committed five errors in 39 games at first.

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After appearing in just two games with the Yankees this season, utility man Jace Peterson has elected free agency after clearing waivers according to Chris Cotillo of SB Nation. Peterson was recently designated for assignment, and was expected to opt for free agency over playing for the Triple-A club.

Filling in for the then injured Aaron Hicks, Peterson saw limited action in his stint in New York, primarily suiting up in left field. The versatile 27-year-old totaled nine at bats with the team, collecting three hits and a walk .

The former Atlanta Brave farmhand holds a career .234/.320/.331 batting line, and was originally acquired by the Yankees via free agency this past offseason. He signed a Minor League pact hoping to settle in to a utility type role, but will now have to look for such an opportunity elsewhere.

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Another member of the Mazzilli family will be joining the Yankees organization.

On Tuesday morning, the team announced that they have acquired L.J. Mazzilli from the New York Mets.

The Yankees have acquired INF/OF L.J. Mazzilli from the New York Mets in exchange for OF Kendall Coleman.

— Yankees PR Dept. (@YankeesPR) April 10, 2018

Mazzilli is the son of former Yankee player and coach Lee Mazzilli. L.J. is following in Lee’s professional footsteps, as they both players began their professional careers with the Mets before they were acquired by the Yankees.

The Mazzilli family is well-represented within the organization. Currently, Lee works in the front office, while L.J.’s sister, Lacey Mazzilli, works as part of the Yankees On-Demand team.

Over 528 career games in the Minor Leagues, the 27-year-old has posted a slash line of .268/.339/.379. Versatility is a strength for Mazzilli, who has played both second base and right field during his time in professional baseball.

In exchange for Mazzilli, the Yankees have agreed to send outfielder Kendall Coleman to the Mets.

Coleman was selected in the 11th round of the 2013 MLB Draft. In five seasons between Rookie and Low-A ball, the 22-year-old has posted a slash line of .207/.309/.301. Coleman has experience at all three outfielder positions, but has predominantly played left field during his time in the Yankees’ minor league system.

As of now, the Yankees have not announced where Mazzilli will be placed. However, it is very likely that the 27-year-old will be assigned to either Double-A or Triple-A.

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Following a 14 inning heartbreaker, the Yankees announced they have made a flurry of roster moves involving 6 players:

Prior to today’s game, the Yankees placed LHP CC Sabathia on the 10-day D.L. with a right hip strain, placed INF Brandon Drury on the 10-day D.L. with severe migraines, …

— Yankees PR Dept. (@YankeesPR) April 7, 2018

TRANSACTIONS: Following Friday’s game, the Yankees optioned RHP Jonathan Holder to Triple-A @swbrailriders.

— Yankees PR Dept. (@YankeesPR) April 7, 2018

… recalled RHP Luis Cessa and RHP Domingo Germán from Triple-A @swbrailriders, and signed and selected INF/OF Jace Peterson from @swbrailriders.

— Yankees PR Dept. (@YankeesPR) April 7, 2018

Most notably, the team placed LHP CC Sabathia on the 10-day disabled list with a right hip strain. In addition, INF Brandon Drury was put on the 10-day DL, battling  severe migraines.

As far other non-injury roster moves, the team optioned RHP Jonathan Holder to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre after throwing 42 pitches out of the bullpen. Also, recalled RHP’s Luis Cessa and Domingo Germán from Triple-A and signed utility-man Jace Peterson to a Major League contract.

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The season is still young, but it’s never too early to start scouting midseason upgrades. If the start of the year has taught us anything, it’s that you can never have too much depth. The Yankees came into the season with an outfield practically overflowing with depth. Now? Not so much.

We’re just one week into the regular season, but spring training injuries to Clint Frazier and Jacoby Ellsbury followed by the quick losses of Aaron Hicks and Billy McKinney spread the team thin quickly.

Not only is depth important, but midseason is a time where impact pieces are available on the market. The Yankees acquired Sonny Gray, David Robertson, and Tommy Kahnle through trades last season, and they all are set to play key roles for the team both this season and into the future.

And nobody needs to be reminded of the offseason excitement of acquiring reigning NL MVP Giancarlo Stanton. He’s already socked three dingers and given fans a glimpse of the incredible power he brings to any lineup. Offseason trade acquisition Brandon Drury has also shown flashes of the potential that drove Brian Cashman to make a move for him just before spring training.

So who are some assets the Yankees may be looking to move for as the season progresses? For the purposes of this article, I’ll be focusing on a mixture of short term rentals and controlled assets trapped on teams in the midst of the rebuilding process. Though Cashman has shown an affinity for thinking outside the box and moving in unexpected ways when he deems the price right, these players seem like likely targets that could be wearing pinstripes before the season is over.

Michael Fulmer

The Yankees were linked extensively to Tigers SP Michael Fulmer this past offseason. Reports were circulating throughout December that Cashman was moving aggressively to acquire him, but nothing ever materialized.

Fulmer is still young at just 25 years old, but he already has an impressive body of work in the bigs. He debuted in 2016 with an impressive campaign that garnered him Rookie of the Year honors. He excelled at keeping the ball on the ground and limiting home runs, posting a 49.1% groundball rate and 0.91 HR/9, both significantly better than league average. This propelled him to a 3.06 ERA and 3.76 FIP in a season where he anchored the Tigers rotation.

There are a couple of potential warning flags hidden in Fulmer’s performance the past two seasons. He’s allowed hard contact at about a league average rate of 30.4% (league average 31.9%), and has below average strikeout statistics. Even so, he still projects as a solid 2 or 3 starter in any rotation in the league.

Much like Sonny Gray, perhaps the most attractive aspect of a potential Fulmer trade is the current status of his contract. He will be under team control through 2022, his age 29 season, meaning he could potentially be with the Yankees for four-plus seasons before hitting the open market.

The Tigers will obviously be wary of shipping off their young, controllable ace for anything less than a king’s ransom. They reportedly rejected an offer from the Yankees this offseason of Clint Frazier, Tyler Wade, Thairo Estrada, and a pitcher. However, the Tigers are a long way from competing and will be saddled with Miguel Cabrera‘s massive contract through at least 2023. The Yankees certainly have the prospects to pry Fulmer from Detroit, and if they do he could quickly become another key member of their excellent young rotation moving forward.

Chris Archer

Ever since entering the league, Archer has flashed elite stuff and danced around the ace label. His velocity and wipeout slider have driven his impressive strikeout statistics, as he’s posted a K/9 above 10.4 each of the last three seasons. His swing and miss stuff peaked last year when he achieved a career best K/9 of 11.15, good for fifth best in the MLB.

That said, his peripherals have suffered over the past couple seasons due to an increase in fly balls and home runs allowed. His FB% has steadily risen from an excellent 31.1% in 2014 to a worse than league-average 36% last year. This was accompanied by a climb from 0.55 to 1.21 HR/9 over the same time span. Those characteristics will be especially concerning to the Yankees, as they play in a notoriously hitter and home run friendly park. Nonetheless, similar concerns swirled around Sonny before his trade from Oakland last season. While his Yankees tenure hasn’t been off-the-charts spectacular, he quietly put up a 3.72 ERA after coming to New York.

Despite the red flags, there’s no question Archer has the stuff to be a success with the Yankees and become a key member of the pitching staff. He’s battle tested in the AL East, and seems to have the bulldog mentality needed to thrive under the bright lights in the Bronx.

Like Fulmer, he has the added benefit of being on an incredibly team friendly contract. He has two years remaining on the extension he signed with the Rays back in 2014, with two club options in 2020 and 2021. Even if both of those options are exercised, the AAV on his remaining contract is still just over $7.5 million.

Obviously this would be an absolute steal, even in the current market. While the Rays will likely be wary of sending their staff ace to an AL East rival, the Rays are focused on the future and might be tempted by the right prospect package. If the Yankees managed to steal him, he would immediately plug in as a top 3 starter in their rotation and make them one of the toughest pitching staffs in the league from 1 through 5.

Cole Hamels

Like many Yankee fans, it’s still weird to adjust to the thought of Cole Hamels as a seasoned veteran pitching for the Texas Rangers. He’s cemented in my mind as the young ace starring for the Phillies during their back-to-back World Series runs in ’08 and ’09.

Hamels doesn’t check many of the boxes that made Fulmer and Archer prime candidates. He’s not young, having turned 34 over the offseason. His stats have matched the decline you’d expect to see from a pitcher of that age, with his strikeout rate plummeting and a massive spike in his hard contact allowed. His 4.20 ERA and 4.63 FIP were some of the worst marks of his career dating back to when he had just entered the big leagues.

On top of that, he’s owed $22.5 million this season, and would be owed an additional $20 million in the unlikely event his club option is exercised after this season. So with all this in mind, why move for an expensive, declining veteran?

The main answer is the associated price in terms of prospects. Since luxury tax money is assessed on a pro-rated basis, the Yankees would have enough room to absorb the approximately $10-13 million left on his deal after acquiring him. And with the Rangers’ window closing quickly (Fangraphs projected 77-85 record), they may be willing to offload an expiring deal at a relatively low prospect cost. Even though Hamels isn’t the ace he once was, he could be a nice midseason addition if the Yankees find themselves suffering on SP depth around the trade deadline.

Best of the rest

These three starting pitcher targets represent just a fraction of the potential moves Brian Cashman and the Yanks might conceivably make. Starting pitchers Lance Lynn (MIN), Garett Richards (LAA), Patrick Corbin (ARI), Matt Harvey (NYM), and Hisashi Iwakuma (SEA) are all upcoming free agents on teams that could be fringe wild card contenders around the middle of the season.

Should any of their teams severely underachieve and shift to a selling position, all of these players could be useful rentals to help propel the team to a 2018 title. Danny Duffy (KC) and Julio Teheran (ATL) are relatively young, talented starters trapped in the midst of rebuilding projects at their respective clubs.

The only position player worth mentioning on this list is Manny Machado. The Yankees are clearly extremely interested in the Orioles SS and, according to reports, pursued him aggressively this offseason. The Orioles have been adamant about competing this season and holding on to their expiring assets.

However, with core players Zach Britton and Brad Brach also set to be free agents after this season, a bad first half could potentially lead to a firesale that includes Machado being shipped off. If that’s the case, the Yankees could pursue him in the hopes of both boosting their World Series chances this season and convincing him to sign long term before he hits free agency.

With all this being said, it’s impossible to predict what the Yankees and the rest of the league will look like in a couple of months. Positions of apparent strength could turn to weaknesses in a second, surprising prospects could step up and mitigate the need to look for external help, and teams will inevitably over or underperform leading to a different calculus at the trade deadline. But don’t be surprised if one or more of these players is wearing the NY on their hats and dancing on the field in November when the Yankees celebrate number 28.

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Roster Moves: Prior to today’s game, the Yankees acquired OF Trayce Thompson off waivers from Los Angeles-NL and transferred RHP Ben Heller to the 60-day disabled list (right elbow bone spur).

— Yankees PR Dept. (@YankeesPR) April 3, 2018

The Yankees voided the minor league option on Heller yesterday after placing him on the 10-day DL (retro to 3/27). In nine Big League appearances last season, the righty went 1-0 with a 0.82 ERA across 11 innings.

With the injury bug ravaging the outfield, the Yankees were in need of some depth. They picked up Thompson, younger brother of Golden State Warriors star Klay, after he was designated for assignment by the Dodgers last week. The 27-year-old has spent three years in the Bigs with the White Sox and Dodgers. In 151 games, he sports a .233/.310/.445 line with 19 homers and 50 RBI.

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Despite the rainout on Monday which delayed their home opener, the Yankees stayed busy off the field. The club has voided the minor league option of RHP Ben Heller and placed him on the 10-day D.L. (retroactive to 3/27) after being diagnosed with a right elbow bone spur.

Roster Moves: Earlier today, the Yankees voided the minor league option of RHP Ben Heller and placed him on the 10-day D.L. (retro. to 3/27) with a right elbow bone spur. Additionally, LHP Oliver Pérez was signed to a minor league contract on Friday, 3/30.

— Yankees PR Dept. (@YankeesPR) April 2, 2018

The 26-year-old righty has flirted with the Big Leagues for the past two seasons, making 19 appearances out of the bullpen with the Yankees since 2016. Heller is the latest to be hit with the injury bug as players being sidelined continues to be an unwelcomed theme to begin the 2018 season.

The team also officially announced they have signed veteran LHP Oliver Perez to a minor league contract on Friday. The 15-year vet has seen stints with seven teams and transitioned from a starter to a lefty specialist during the latter stages of his career. Perez, should he make it to the Bronx, would be a welcomed addition to a bullpen that has seen key members get rocked early on including Dellin Betances and David Robertson. Get that side-winding left arm of yours loose, Ollie.

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In an attempt to add a third lefty to a right-handed heavy bullpen, the Yankees announced they have reached a Minor League agreement with veteran southpaw Oliver Perez. He will report to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

The well-traveled 36-year-old has pitched in a total of fifteen MLB seasons, compiling a 69-86 record with a 4.46 ERA. Perez has played for seven different teams, and Yankees fans may recall his time with the Mets from 2006-10. Last season with the Nationals, he appeared in 50 games pitching to a 4.64 ERA with 39 strikeouts in 33 innings. He has racked up double-digit K/9 IP in the last five seasons.

Perez’s deal is a typical low-risk, high-reward contract, as the Yankees hope to take advantage of whatever the lefty reliever has left in the tank.

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