The New York Yankees were among the teams that made moves leading up to the 2026 MLB Trade Deadline. They most notably acquired star slugger Luis Garcia Jr. from the Washington Nationals in exchange for Yovanny Cruz, Jack Cebert, Ben Grable, and Jake Bird. They also acquired outfielder Heliot Ramos from the San Francisco Giants in exchange for Henry LaLane and Kaedan Kent.
The Yankees also moved on from one of their MLB relievers during trade deadline week, as they dealt Camilo Doval to the Pittsburgh Pirates in exchange for Omar Alfonzo and Luis Cruz.
Overall, the Yankees made some trades, but it is fair to argue that they should have tried to do more. Because of this, they have now been hit with some criticism.
In a recent article for The Athletic, Andy McCullough named the Yankees among the losers of the 2026 MLB Trade Deadline because they did not address their biggest roster need: upgrading at catcher.
“But they watched their chief rival land Adley Rutschman at a time when catching help was desperately needed in The Bronx. The Yankees could not pry Ryan Jeffers from the Twins or Hunter Goodman from the Rockies,” McCullough wrote.
It was no secret that the Yankees were linked to multiple catchers leading up to the deadline, and it makes sense when noting that they needed an upgrade badly. However, they were unsuccessful in their efforts, and it makes sense that they are getting some heat for it.
The Yankees Had Multiple Catcher Options to Consider
The trade market had multiple interesting catchers who could have been strong fits on their roster. McCullough highlighted Rutschman, who the Yankees were linked to before the Red Sox landed him. Jeffers and Goodman would have also had the potential to be excellent additions to the Yankees’ roster, as McCullough noted. However, neither player got traded.
We here at Heavy Sports also discussed Cincinnati Reds catcher Tyler Stephenson as a potential fit for the Yankees, but he ended up staying put. St. Louis Cardinals catcher Ivan Herrera was in the rumor mill leading up to the deadline, but like Stephenson, he did not get traded. There was also catcher Liam Hicks, who the Marlins traded to the Tampa Bay Rays.
With this, the Yankees had options, but they were unable to get a deal done. Now, they will continue to have questions at the catcher position as they enter the final stretch of the season.
Why the Yankees Could Still End Up Being Trade Deadline Winners
Although the Yankees failing to land a catcher is far less than ideal, they could still end up being trade deadline winners.
The Yankees acquiring Garcia could benefit them immensely, as the 26-year-old has become a legitimate star this season. He also just had a great debut for the Yankees on Aug. 3, recording one home run, two RBI, and two hits. With this, he now has 24 home runs, 78 RBI, and a .285 batting average in 105 games this season.
Ramos also has the potential to be a solid pickup for the Yankees. He hit 21 home runs last season and a career-high 22 home runs in his All-Star 2024 season, so he has the potential to give the Yankees more pop. If both Ramos and Garcia play at their highest levels in New York, the Yankees’ trade deadline will look better.
Yankees Named Trade Deadline Losers for One Big Reason