The New York Yankees could decide to go all out at the trade deadline or attempt to find under-the-radar players.
Regardless of what the Yankees do, there’s reason to believe that multiple ways could work out, as there isn’t just one area for them to improve. The Yankees will have a chance to get better on the mound, whether it be starting or in the bullpen, and offensively.
When recently taking a look at the MLB trade deadline big board, The Athletic linked the Yankees to a decent option on the starting pitching front in the form of Michael Soroka, a right-handed who has thrown the baseball at a decent level throughout his career after appearing in games for the Atlanta Braves and Chicago White Sox before joining the Washington Nationals during the offseason.
“Soroka was an under-the-radar target for a lot of teams last winter, thanks to the outstanding second half he’d put together as a reliever for the White Sox. Moved back to the rotation in Washington, he’s dealt with another injury (a biceps strain this time) and some inconsistency.
“Despite a pedestrian ERA, Soroka still excels at a lot of things teams really value today: He owns good strikeout, walk, and ground-ball rates, and he keeps the ball off the barrel. Plus, his experience last season makes Soroka a flexible fit: He can fill out your rotation in the short term and then slide to the bullpen later in the year,” they wrote.
Yankees’ Pitching Injuries Piling Up
It’s been unfortunate that the New York Yankees have dealt with the injuries they have on the mound over the past few years. This season, however, has been even worse.
The Yankees have dealt with multiple starters going down, including Gerrit Cole, Luis Gil, and many others.
Fortunately, some will come back, while others won’t.
However, according to the New York Post, even with all the injuries the Yankees have faced, and some pitchers returning, the expectation is for them to go out and add a starter.
“The Yankees probably needed a starter even before Clarke Schmidt, their No. 3, went down last week and likely will require Tommy John surgery.
“The eventual returns of Luis Gil and Ryan Yarbrough will help, but they probably will not be ready until August. The Yankees — whose No. 3 starter at the moment is Will Warren, with Marcus Stroman slotting in fourth and Cam Schlittler expected to debut Wednesday — could use another arm just to offer competent innings to get them to October,” they wrote.
Does Sorokoa Fit What the Yankees Are Looking For?
Sorokoa is a decent option for the New York Yankees to pursue, but it’s tough to say that he’d be perfect.
Throughout his career, he’s been better in certain stops than he’s been elsewhere.
He pitched for the Atlanta Braves from 2018 to 2023, with some injuries mixed in. He then threw for the Chicago White Sox in 2024, before joining the Washington Nationals in 2025.
While the Yankees would love to have an arm who has thrown to the likes of a 3.95 ERA throughout his career, it’s important to note that he had a 4.74 ERA last season and owns a 5.40 ERA this year.
When searching for what the Nationals might do at the deadline, ESPN recently suggested they get rid of Soroka, so it’s likely the Yankees will at least have an opportunity to trade for him if they want.
“The Nationals have several players heading to free agency that they might look to deal, including closer Kyle Finnegan and utility man Amed Rosario, although none will bring back a huge return. Soroka might be the most enticing to other teams. He has been starting for the Nationals and his 4.70 ERA in 11 games doesn’t impress, but he ranks in the 76th percentile in strikeout rate and 79th percentile in walk rate while holding batters to a .210 average,” they wrote.
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