The Yankees made arguably the biggest move of the 2021 MLB trade deadline on Wednesday. Joey Gallo, who has another year of team control, brings the Yankees a much-needed lefty bat and some outrageous power. It indicates a change of tone in Yankees trade news 2021.
New York had been on the cusp of competing. Swinging big on Gallo should change the perception of Yankees trade targets at the deadline. This is a team trying to compete, and as such, a team which needs a lot more than Gallo.
Yankees trade news & targets 2021
It has become a bi-annual tradition to bemoan the Yankees’ rotation. They actually rank second in wins above average from their rotation this season. That doesn’t mean they should overlook the starting staff, however. As good as Jordan Montgomery has been, they could do with another reliable arm behind Gerrit Cole.
New York checked in on Max Scherzer. He wants to go to the west coast. The starting pitching market has been relatively quiet so far, with Tyler Anderson to the Mariners being the only deal of note.
The Yankees also picked up Clay Holmes. It went under the radar in Yankees trade news 2021, but Holmes has the advanced numbers to suggest he can help their bullpen.
Here are three Yankees trade targets to pursue after acquiring Joey Gallo…
Jon Gray
While the Rockies are reluctant to even listen to offers for German Marquez, Jon Gray appears to be on the market. Colorado’s curious roster management might mean Gray is available at a good price, too.
This is one of the best seasons of Gray’s career. The ERA is hanging around the mid-threes, which is better than it sounds given the Coors Field factor. His advanced numbers also back up these strong few months on the mound. His expected ERA is a smidgen lower than his actual results, and he ranks in the 86th percentile in barrel rate. He’s walking more than the Yankees would like, but that’s a small price to pay for a heavy fastball and big-time slider.
Gray is a free agent in a few months. The Gallo made sense because of the extra year, but a rental pitcher is worth considering.
Ryan Tepera
In the shadow of Craig Kimbrel, Ryan Tepera has been overlooked as a trade candidate as the Cubs sell-off their stars. He’s a free agent to be, and is enjoying a spectacular campaign out of the bullpen. The Yankees relief group doesn’t need an overhaul, but another arm like Tepera can’t hurt.
Hitters cannot touch Tepera this year. He’s in the 97th percentile in expected batting average. That leads to him giving up fewer than five hits per nine innings. This isn’t some freak event, either. The Cubs have removed the cutter, cranked up his slider usage, and made his sinker a third-choice pitch. The slider is unhittable, owning a whiff rate over 50%.
There will be competition for Tepera at the trade deadline. It’s not just the Yankees trade targets list he will feature on, but it’s worth giving the Cubs a call.
Jose Berrios
Linked with half of MLB already, it’s unclear if Jose Berrios is actually on the trade market. Having already appeared in Yankees trade news 2021, though, he was an obvious name to add here.
Berrios is a great starter. Slotting him into the rotation behind Cole changes the whole look of this Yankees team. He, like Gallo, would arrive with an extra year of control.
It would be interesting to see what some new coaching could do with Berrios. His ERA is good in 2021, but he’s generally remained the same pitcher during his time with the Twins. His arsenal has not changed, and his pitch usage is almost identical to a few years ago.
The prospect cost would be similar to Gallo, which might take the Yankees out of the Berrios trade rumors. It’s a trade they should consider, though, given how committed they are to competing in the second half of 2021.
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