With a difficult decision looming, Yankee Stadium is currently a house divided.
As the Yankees begin play in the second half of the season Friday night at home against the Boston Red Sox, the incertitude to either buy or sell at the non-waiver trade deadline has created tension between the baseball and business brains.
Of the baseball brains, general manager Brian Cashman has had the inclination to part ways with New York’s core foundation, players which consist of relievers Andrew Miller and Aroldis Chapman, veterans Mark Teixeira and Carlos Beltran, and starters Ivan Nova and Nathan Eovaldi.
But the list doesn’t end there. According to ESPN’s Wallace Matthews, the Yankees could potentially explore moving outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury and catcher Brian McCann before the deadline, despite the contracts that each have garnered.
Per Matthews’ report:
The source also said the Yankees would like to move center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury and catcher Brian McCann, a much more difficult proposition because of their contracts. Ellsbury is signed through 2020 at $21 million per year, with a club option for 2021 that includes a $5 million buyout, and McCann is signed through 2018 at $17 million a year.Â
While the financial commitments to both 32-year-olds are substantial for any team to take on, a deal could be made if the Yankees were to eat money, but even that concept is considered sacrilege to Cashman, who previously disregarded that option with Alex Rodriguez.
If a trade was to take place, replacing either Ellsbury or McCann would be a daunting task, but not an impossible one. In essence, the remaining regular season games this summer wouldn’t matter to the Yankees, ultimately opening up doors for major league-ready prospects such as Gary Sanchez, Ben Gamel, and Mason Williams from Triple-A. Manager Joe Girardi has also grown fond of platoon man Aaron Hicks, who is handy with a glove in the outfield.
Dealing Ellsbury and/or McCann comes with risk, but relieving a few financial burdens could place the Yankees in a better and brighter future position.
