The New York Yankees could bring back a familiar face ahead of the August 3 MLB Trade Deadline.
New York has a clear need in the bullpen amid some clear struggles. The Yankees could use another high-leverage reliever or two, and one analyst believes New York should bring back left-hander Wandy Peralta.
Ahead of the deadline, MLB analyst Jovan Alford of SI urges the Yankees to re-acquire Wandy Peralta.
“David Bednar went through a rough patch, but has seemingly figured things out,” Alford wrote. “Meanwhile, Ryan Yarbrough and Tim Hill have provided a mixed bag on the mound. Camilo Doval has been flat-out disappointing this season, while Brent Headrick, Paul Blackburn, and Fernando Cruz have been steady relief options. Nonetheless, the Yankees could use more weapons at the back end of the bullpen late in games. One reliever whom Yankees fans are quite familiar with and could be available in the lead-up to the deadline is Wandy Peralta.”
Peralta is in his 11th MLB season. He was acquired by the Yankees in April of 2021 and pitched for three years in New York. In his three years with the Yankees, he went 10-9 with a 2.82 ERA, showing how effective he can be.
Peralta has a $4.45 million player option, which is unlikely to be picked up. But he can be a high-leverage reliever for the Yankees and help stabilize the bullpen.
Peralta Fixes Yankes Need
Ahead of the deadline, MLB insider Jon Heyman reported that the Padres are listening to trade offers on Peralta.
If Peralta does get dealt, he makes a ton of sense for the Yankees as New York needs to add another left-handed reliever, according to Alford.
“For the Yankees to win the division and make a deep run, they’ll need at least two lefties that they can trust down the stretch,” Alford added. “This is where Peralta comes into play. … That’s not a huge amount of money tied up into a reliever, especially if the 34-year-old stays on this track or pitches better, harking back to his Yankee days when he had a sub-3.00 ERA. Let’s see what Cashman and Co. can do to upgrade the bullpen before the deadline.”
However, Peralta will likely be sought after by multiple teams, so the Yankees will have to put together a good package to acquire him.
New York Likely to Add to Bullpen
The Yankees are expected to be aggressive ahead of the trade deadline.
Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said the team will be open, but knows pitching is needed.
“I think we’re open-minded at the Deadline to try to improve ourselves, period, end of story,” Cashman said. “We’ll evaluate what’s available and try to push in on anything that makes sense, whether it’s pitching or offense. … We’ve lost some important people, but thankfully, we’ll be getting them back. We don’t want to take on any more water. We understand how important pitching is.”
The Yankees have gotten some pitchers back from injuries, but the bullpen is still a concern.
New York is 57-45 and 2 games back of the Rays for the top spot in the AL East.
Yankees Urged to Pursue Reunion With 11-Year Veteran Reliever