Although baseball’s trade deadline is still a few weeks away, and the Yankees have a considerable amount of time to address their needs and wants, it appears general manager Brian Cashman is already manning the phones.
According to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald, the Yankees are reportedly pursuing a deal for Miami Marlins’ first baseman Justin Bour. The 29-year-old left-handed slugger has hit .286 with 19 home runs and 56 RBI this season, and will face off against Yankees’ rookie Aaron Judge in the first round of the Home Run Derby at Marlins Park on Monday night.
While the Marlins haven’t expressed interest in parting ways with Bour, their price would likely be steep, according to Jackson. With Bour comes an extremely friendly contract, as he’s owed just $553,000 this season. Bour’s also arbitration eligible for the next three years, and won’t be able to test the free agent market until 2021.
The Yankees haven’t been blind to their season-long inferiority at first base, and Cashman recently admitted to reporters that he’s in the process of looking for an impactful player to fill the void. If New York is willing to part ways with its assets for an offensive upgrade like Bour, it could turn the team’s fortunes around this summer.
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