Although the Yankees weren’t comfortable with yielding top prospects to the White Sox for starter Jose Quintana, a deal involving another arm could still transpire between the clubs before the trade deadline.
According to FanRag Sports’ insider Jon Heyman, the Yankees sent scouts to Chicago on Sunday to observe right-handed reliever David Robertson, as well as third baseman Todd Frazier.
Per Heyman:
The Yankees and Red Sox are doing battle on the field – and they may vie for at least one trade target and possibly two.
Both teams had scouts in Chicago Sunday, and it is believed both had some level of interest in Chisox reliever David Robertson and Chisox third baseman Todd Frazier – though it seems that the Yankees may be more interested than the Red Sox in Robertson, and the Red Sox may have more need than the Yankees for Frazier.
The Yankees want to shore up their bullpen, and have always liked Robertson, who came up for them before moving on to Chicago as a free agent to close for them. There were hints the Yankees were also paying attention to Frazier, though they haven’t expressed a strong desire at third base and are more concerned about first base (as well as the rotation and bullpen).
Robertson, who turned 32 this past April, has been mentioned as a prime trade candidate for contending clubs since last summer. After working out of the Yankees’ bullpen from 2008 to 2014, Robertson signed a four-year, $46 million deal with the White Sox. In 158 total innings (3.30 ERA) with Chicago, he’s struck out 207 hitters while allowing 120 hits and 58 earned runs.
While Robertson hasn’t consistently preformed at an All-Star caliber level, it’s unlikely that he’ll come at a cheap price, considering he’s not a summer rental. Last week, Heyman reported that Chicago sought out Yankees’ top prospects Gleyber Torres and Clint Frazier for Quintana, so it’s possible that the White Sox will do business with the highest bidder.
The Yankees do have a need for additional bullpen help, as relievers have allowed 18 blown saves this season — the most in baseball. But general manager Brian Cashman won’t make a move just for the sake of making one, as he told YES Network last Sunday that the team intends to be “careful buyers” until July 31.
If you want to connect with Tom Hanslin, email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter @tomhanslin.
