The New York Yankees are doing a lot of things right this season. They have the best record in the American League and one of the best pitching staffs in all of MLB.
Given the World Series aspirations that the Yankees possess, they could still afford to make meaningful additions via trade. With the Houston Astros falling into a deep hole with so many injuries, one can assume they will be sellers before the August trade deadline. Reliever Bryan Abreu is a player that the Yankees must consider trading for. He helped aid the Astros in winning a World Series in 2022, and now is a perfect time to buy low on the reliever out of the D.R.
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What Could a Yankees-Astros Trade for Bryan Abreu Look Like?
GettyATLANTA, GA – APRIL 23: Bryan Abreu #52 reacts with Cesar Salazar #18 of the Houston Astros after defeating the Atlanta Braves 5-2 at Truist Park on April 23, 2023 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images)
The Yankees are an MLB team with several tradeable assets that the Houston Astros may want. Early reports have indicated that the Stros are willing to take calls on some of their trade candidates. New York could put together a package that centers around Ben Hess or Carlos Lagrage.
Houston has been plagued by injuries this season, so it could use some organizational reinforcements.
As for the Yankees, the one item many fans and analysts believe New York needs is some bullpen help, which is the case with just about every contending team. Abreu isn’t having a great year compared to prior seasons, but he’s been one of MLB’s most dominant relievers, especially in an eighth-inning/setup role.
Bryan Abreu has carried moderate trade rumors all season, but Jon Heyman of the New York Post recently reported that Abreu’s teammate, Christian Walker, is emerging as a prime trade candidate, which signals that players like Bryan Abreu could be next.
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Bryan Abreu as a MLB Reliever
Bryan Abreu was one of the Astros key relievers during their 2022 World Series run.
He holds a career ERA of 2.89 over 342 total innings and 468 strikeouts.
In 71 innings last season, Abreu carried an earned run average of 2.28 with 105 strikeouts. Before 2026, Abreu had three consecutive seasons of 100+ strikeouts, which is very impressive for a reliever.
He probably won’t reach the 100 K’s plateau this season due to being sidelined, and the Astros limited opportunities with a lead.
Since being traded to the Yankees last season, David Bednar has handled the closer duties for the most part with New York, and he’s been very effective. Some other righties the Yankees have in the bullpen include Camilo Doval, Fernando Cruz, Paul Blackburn, and Jake Bird.
After Bednar and Doval, the bullpen depth changes drastically, which is ultimately why the New York Yankees should pursue Bryan Abreu in a trade at some point this season before August.
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