The New York Yankees are in the midst of a rough patch of games, as they’ve lost five straight games and fallen out of first place in the American League East. Amid this losing stretch, many questions are starting to arise about the Yankees’ roster, which no doubt needs improvement. First, they could use another bat on the left side of the infield. Additionally, there have been cries for another bullpen arm, which virtually every MLB contender is in the market for.
New York’s bullpen just let them down once again in the first game of the second edition of the Subway series this year against the New York Mets. It was Luke Weaver who gave up a towering long ball to Jeff McNeil that allowed the Mets to win.
So, who could the Yankees trade for?
The Trade Idea
In this recent trade proposal, the New York Yankees would acquire Washington Nationals’ closer Kyle Finnegan in exchange for top prospect Spencer Jones. Finnegan continues to be an attractive trade target for those who need relievers.
In a blog-type article from the Nationals’ community, writer Sam Sallick believes the Nationals are headed towards selling once again.
“For a second straight summer, Kyle Finnegan trade rumors will be at the forefront. Despite having fairly similar number to last year, Finnegan could be a more attractive trade candidate. Last season teams knew he had a big arbitration number looming in the offseason which made him less appealing. However, the right-hander is a pure rental this year. After being non-tendered in the offseason, the Nats brought Finnegan back on a reasonable 1-year $6 million deal. This cheaper contract will appeal to contenders. Finnegan has a lot of high leverage experience and has been highly consistent over the years.”
Finnegan Makes Sense for New York
As of now, the two high-leverage arms for the New York Yankees are Weaver and Devin Williams. Williams has performed much better over the last couple of months, but hitters seem to be catching onto Weaver’s stuff. He’s given up a home run in each of his last three outings and now has an ERA of 3.19 in 31 innings.
Finnegan, who was an All-Star in 2024, is having a similar campaign this year. He has a 2.46 ERA in 33 innings and 18 saves. His 1.1 WAR mark is impressive for a reliever, and he may be awarded a second consecutive All-Star berth. Finnegan is going to draw a lot of interest in the trade market this season and will be an impending free agent after the season is over. That is why the Yankees would have to give up one of their highly-touted prospects like Jones. If not, a good package could include a lower-tier prospect and a young player like Oswaldo Cabrera.
As MLB’s trade deadline gets closer and closer, expect the Yankees to be active, especially in search of a shutdown reliever that can either keep them in games or close them out. It is clear that New York is working on a “closer by committee” situation, and anyone they bring in could be called on in the ninth inning consistently.
New York Yankees Trade Proposal Lands 2.46 ERA Reliever