The New York Yankees are looking to add to their roster ahead of the trade deadline, ahead of another deep playoff run.
The Yankees lost in the World Series to the Los Angeles Dodgers and are looking to build off that. One of New York’s biggest needs is pitching, and MLB analyst Jake Elman of Athlon Sports pitched a stunning trade that would see the Yankees acquire Max Scherzer from the Toronto Blue Jays.
Yankees acquire:
Blue Jays acquire:
The proposed deal would be surprising, but if Scherzer can return from his injury, it does make sense. Toronto gets another pitching prospect while the Yankees get a future Hall of Famer to add depth to their rotation.
Scherzer signed a one-year, $15.5 million deal with the Blue Jays this offseason. Scherzer has been dealing with a thumb injury all season. He made his lone start on March 29, allowing 2 runs on 3 hits over 3 innings as he left the game with an injury. However, Scherzer has started to throw live BP as he gets closer to a return. With Toronto out of a playoff spot, he could be dealt to a contender to be a team’s fifth starter.
In return, Toronto would acquire a pitching prospect in Ziehl, who the Yankees selected in the fourth round last season. Ziehl is 22 and has reached AA and could work his way up the minors quickly. He’s 2-2 with a 4.75 ERA in 8 starts between A and AA this season.
Analyst Explains Yankees-Blue Jays Trade
The proposed deal by Elman would be a shock as the Yankees would take a chance on Scherzer, who is a future Hall of Famer.
“The Yankees need another rotation arm, and Scherzer checks plenty of boxes. He’ll likely come cheap, especially given his age and one-year, $15.5 million contract,” Elman wrote. “Although Scherzer has a full no-trade clause, pitching for a contender sounds preferable to sticking with a team focusing on 2026…
“Any team acquiring Scherzer almost certainly knows they’re not getting the three-time Cy Young winner at his peak. Instead, they’re getting a veteran arm who, when healthy, can still pitch into the sixth inning and baffle hitters,” Elman added. “If the Yankees believe Scherzer can do enough to help bring home the Bombers’ first title since 2009, then parting ways with a developing minor-league starter should be a no-brainer.”
If Scherzer returns to the mound before the deadline, he will likely be a popular trade target. Getting a minor league pitching prospect is also a good return for the Blue Jays.
Scherzer Throws Live BP
Scherzer hasn’t pitched since March 29, but he soon could be going on a rehab assignment.
On May 30, before the Blue Jays game against the Athletics, Scherzer threw a live bullpen to Alan Roden, Michael Stefanic, and Ali Sanchez.
After the live BP, Blue Jays manager John Schneider says it comes down to how he feels on May 31 after pitching. If he feels well, a rehab assignment could be next.
“We’ll see how tomorrow goes. That’s kind of the whole thing with Max. He’s been trending in the right direction for a while now and that leads to optimism he can keep going forward,” Schneider wrote.
Scherzer is a three-time Cy Young Award winner.
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